Dealing Fate's Hand
by Mystical Jade
Summary: Sequel to TTA (This Time Around)... Rini returns to the past as the Ronins and Scouts try to enjoy their Spring Break; however, she's acting strangely. Read and Review, please! updated 4-28
1. Prologue

DFH00 ****

I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea, however, is mine. Enjoy!

AN - After a few requests for a sequel to _An Ancient Evil_ and then again for _This Time Around_, I finally came up with a pretty decent idea! So, I hope that you all enjoy and review this. I dedicate this to all who asked for a sequel!

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Dealing Fate's Hand

Prologue

"Ms. Tsukino!"

Serena shot out of her seat quickly, standing at attention. She began to relax slightly, as she heard the snickers and giggles of her classmates, and pink tint stained her cheeks. "Present, Ms. Haruna," she exclaimed. Her teacher looked at her strangely, shaking her head.

"Yes, we know that all too well by your snoring, Ms. Tsukino," Ms. Haruna replied dryly. Serena blushed again, and the teacher rolled her eyes slightly. "You're obviously not prepared for class, Serena. Have a seat. I'll see you after class."

"Yes, Ma'am," she replied with a moan, taking her seat once again. Next to her, Kento looked at her, worry expressed on his face.

"Are you feeling alright," he whispered, leaning towards her.

"Is there something you want to share with the class, Mr. Faun," Ms. Haruna asked, looking at him pointedly. Kento sat upright in his seat, and shook his head. She turned towards the blackboard, her book in one hand and the chalk in the other.

"I'm fine, Kento," she replied quietly, once the teacher was busy at the board, a smile turning up the corner of her mouth. "We'll talk after class."

The rest of the class went uneventfully, and when the final bell rang, the students quickly gathered their things, rushing out to welcome the weekend - and upcoming vacation. Serena slowly stood, getting her things together and saying good byes as her friends called out to her. After she gathered all her stuff, she went to stand in front of Ms. Haruna's desk.

"Ms. Tsukino," Ms. Haruna began, looking up as she finished grading her final paper. She took a quick look around the room, and smiled slightly. "Serena, what has been going on with you? I've seen a great improvement in your schoolwork efforts, but there has been a decline lately."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Haruna," Serena replied with a bow. "I haven't been able to sleep at night. And it's vacation."

"Well, I won't tolerate you falling asleep during my class." Ms. Haruna stood from her desk, turning towards the blackboard. As she was erasing the board, she heard the sound of a desk chair being pulled out. When she turned back around, she saw Serena sitting at a desk, pulling out some books. "What are you doing, Ms. Tsukino?"

"I'm staying for detention, Ms. Haruna. That's why you had me stay after class, right?"

"Nonsense," she exclaimed, with a wave of her hand. She smiled as Serena looked at her, surprise written on her face. "Not even I will give a detention at the beginning of Spring Break, Ms. Tsukino." She watched as Serena packed up her things once again, and shook her head in amusement. "Just make sure to get plenty of rest over the break."

"Ok, Ms. Haruna," Serena exclaimed, smiling brightly. She bowed once again, and as she was about to leave, she turned back around. "And have a nice date tonight, Ma'am!"

"You know me too well, Serena," the teacher laughed. "Have a nice vacation."

******

Serena shielded her eyes as the bright afternoon sunlight glared down in her face. She took in a deep breath of air, and a feeling bordering excitement coursed through her body. Humming softly to herself, she began skipping down the stairs, leading to the sidewalk. As she got near the bottom of the stairs, she lost her footing and felt as she began to fall. She gasped, and extended her arms out in front of her, bracing herself and squeezing her eyes shut. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her, keeping her from falling completely to the ground.

"Hey, where are you going," a voice asked lightly, chuckling a little. Serena opened her eyes and looked up into the smiling face of her boyfriend.

"Kento," she exclaimed, straightening herself up. "Thanks for catching me."

"It brings back memories, doesn't it," he asked, winking at her. She smiled, and then the two began to walk together. After a long silence, Kento cleared his throat. "So, are you going to tell me what was wrong earlier?"

"I've just been tired," she replied. "I haven't gotten as much sleep as I'd like to lately." She walked with her head bowed slightly, her arms loosely hanging in front of her, hands gripping her bag tightly.

"Well, you'll be able to catch up on sleep over vacation," Kento stated. He stepped closer to her, and as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders loosely, she smiled at him.

"That's what Ms. Haruna said, too."

The two continued walking in silence, waving to friends that they passed by. As they walked by the gymnasium, they saw Mina inside, clad in her volleyball uniform. _"Although she's a shoo-in, she's still trying out for the team,"_ Serena thought, returning Mina's wave as the girl noticed the couple walk past. Not too far from the gymnasium, in the baseball field, both Rowen and Ryo were trying out for a sports team, as well.

"Uh, Serena," Kento began, causing his girlfriend to look at him. It was then, that she took notice that he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, instead of his regular school uniform. "I think I'll try out for the baseball team, as well." Rowen and Ryo waved as they noticed Kento, and he returned the gesture.

"You'd better go then, Kento," she replied, pushing him in the field direction. A smile played at the corner of his mouth as he leaned forward, kissing her lightly. As they parted, she smiled at him. "Good luck, and wish Rowen and Ryo luck for me, too."

"We'll do our best," he exclaimed, sharing a knowing smile with Serena. "You should try out for an extracurricular activity, too, or sign-up for a club."

"If I keep falling asleep in class, detention will take up all my after school time," she said with a pout. Kento chuckled and then waved before he turned to go to the field. "Kento," she exclaimed, causing him to turn back around. "Meet me at Rei's, after practice. And tell the others, too."

"Alright, babe," he called back, before turning once again, and running towards the diamond. Serena watched as he, Ryo, and Rowen exchanged high-fives in the distance, and she sighed.

_"How long has it been,"_ she wondered silently, and she continued on her way home. _"Six months; six, long months. Rini, Lotus… I miss you both so much."_

She took notice of Amy and Sai sitting together in the courtyard as she passed by them. Amy sat on the ground, her legs crossed underneath her, and Sai was laying down, his head resting in her lap and his eyes closed peacefully. Amy looked up from the book she read, and waved in Serena's direction.

"Are we still meeting at Rei's," Amy called out. Serena nodded her head, and Amy smiled and nodded in response, returning to her book.

_"I wish I could see them again,"_ her mind began to wander, once again returning to her gloomy thoughts. _"What is this emptiness?"_

"Serena!" The girl blinked, realizing that her vision was blurred with unshed tears. She looked up in the direction the voice had come from, and noticed Lita sitting in the bleachers, near the track.

_"When did I get here…?"_ She shook her head, realizing that she hadn't been paying attention to where she was walking. "Lita," she finally replied, watching as the girl descended the bleachers, and ran in her direction. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm cheering on Sage," Lita replied. "He's trying out for the track team, although I know he'll make it." She smiled. "I joined the Culinary Club."

"That's great." It was a half-hearted reply.

"What's wrong, Serena," Lita asked, cocking her head to the side in concern. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just meet up with everyone at Rei's, later this afternoon," Serena replied, beginning to back away slowly.

"Serena…"

"We'll discuss everything there," Serena interrupted, putting on a fake smile. Lita shrugged, though a frown still remained on her face. "Don't look so down, Lita! It's spring vacation!"

This seemed to ease Lita's mind, and she returned Serena's smile. "Alright, then. I'll see you at Rei's!"

******

As planned, the warriors all met up at the Hikawa Shinto Shrine (the Cherry Hill Temple) later in the afternoon. Kento, Ryo, and Rowen all had made it onto the baseball team, while Sage and Mina made the track and volleyball teams respectively. Amy and Sai had ended up arriving at the shrine last, and Lita teased them about their _delinquent_ behavior. Flushing with extreme embarrassment, Amy explained that she and Sai had decided to join up for the Chess Club at the last minute. At Rei's private school, she had joined up for the Archery Club.

After finally finishing up her chores, Rei joined her friends on the stairs. "So, which club or after-school activity did you sign up for, Serena," she asked. When she didn't receive an answer, she stalked over towards her friend, tapping lightly on the blonde's head. "Hello, is anyone in there!"

"Rei," she exclaimed in surprise. She shook her head, and then returned her gaze back up towards the sky; more specifically, to a star which shone strangely, brightly in the sky. Next to it, a phantom crescent moon was visible. "I heard what you said..."

As she trailed off, her friends looked at each other in concern. "So what club did you decide to join, Serena," Mina asked.

"Isn't that a strange sight," Serena commented, ignoring the question. "It's not normal for a star to be in the sky during this time of the day, is it?" She finally tore her gaze away from the star, to look at her friends.

"It could be a planet," Sai suggested. "They can sometimes be seen during daylight."

"I was thinking…" Serena trailed once again, then nodded her head decisively. "Once we go back to school, I'll change my classes around, and take a class that deals with the stars."

"Do you mean Astronomy," Amy asked, just as surprised as the others.

"Yeah… astronomy," Serena stated, a genuine smile crossing her face. "But let's not talk about school right now! We have to plan out what we'll do during our vacation time!" Her usual, bubbly attitude kicked in, and her excitement slowly spread to the others.

However, her strange behavior from before lingered in all of her friends' minds.

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To Be Continued…

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I'm sure this is a little shorter than you would have liked, but keep in mind, it is only a prologue. I'll begin working on the next part… Until then, please leave a review!


	2. Chapter 1

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I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The idea and original characters are mine, however. Enjoy!

AN - _I'm real sorry for the delay, everyone! I was kinda/sorta waiting for the site to work properly, but my friend **Girl-chama** made me realize I can't use that as an excuse! ^_^* So thank you, Chama-chan! I needed it! I dedicate this to you!_

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Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 1

_"No one should be alone. What is this place of solitude? How long have I been here? Why am I here?"_

The entity slowly began to regain consciousness, and became aware. The dull light of a single star suddenly appeared, dimming in the dark, lonely void. However, the entity was drawn to the star, and as it drew nearer, the star engulfed it into its' light, and the form of a woman began to emerge.

_"Why am I alone?"_

Lilac locks of hair cascaded down her body, covering the robes she wore. As she opened her eyes, pale blue oculars took in the surroundings, and crystalline tears blurred her vision. As the memories of her painful past returned to her, she wrapped her arms around herself and began to cry softly.

_"How could they betray me in such a way? Why did they punish me, to forever be alone? I don't want to be alone."_

A sob caught in her throat as suddenly, she saw another light. Going towards it, she took the light into her hands, and another figure appeared, bearing the same kind of grief she felt - the feeling of betrayal. She hugged the figure close to her…

And then the pain was gone, replaced instead by a burning hatred. She wrapped her arms around the figure, and a cruel smile crossed her lips.

_"We will never be alone again, small one. And the ones who have betrayed us will pay."_

A bright light burst from her, diminishing the dark void and setting her free.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"C'mon, Sailor Chibi Moon! You have to do better than that!" Sailor Chibi Moon turned her head quickly, and saw Sailor Chibi Mars coaching her from the sidelines of the arena. The older girl flashed her a thumbs-up sign, and Chibi Moon nodded her head.

"Pay attention, Sailor Chibi Moon! You're making a fatal error!"

Sailor Chibi Moon's head snapped around, and she brought up her weapon just as her sparring partner bared down upon her. Breathing heavily, she pushed him away, and dodged his attacks, while trying to land some of her own. She cried out in pain, as a hit he landed dug deep into her side, causing her to drop to the ground. Looking up at him, she wiped away sweat that trailed down her face. She shook her head as her sight began to blur, and, sighing in defeat, she sat up to a kneeling position.

"You yield?"

"I do." Sailor Chibi Moon's eyes blurred once again, only this time from unshed tears. Inhaling deeply, she bit her lip to keep herself from crying. Suddenly, a man's voice rang out across the room and the other Scouts and Ronins knelt down together next to her in a straight line.

"You all have done exceptionally well today," the man spoke, his piercing blue eyes scanning over the young group of children. "But today, you each learned that you have much more training to do. Lotus proved that, when he defeated each of you in melee combat." The man sighed, raking a hand through his ebony hair. "But, I am proud of you all. Tomorrow, you will be working with Sailor Chibi Mars on your sure-skills and powers. You are dismissed for today."

"Actually, I'd like to make a small change, if you don't mind, Darien," a voice spoke from the doorway. The children looked towards the source, and they began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Dad," Chibi Moon and Lotus exclaimed in unison. As the King entered the training room, he smiled towards his children.

"Your Highness," Darien stated, bowing slightly. "What is it, that you had in mind?"

"I think that it's time the children had another training session with us," Kento spoke. "The other Ronins and I will take the boys, and Serenity and the other Scouts will take the girls; but only if that would be okay with you, of course, Prince Darien. You are their teacher, after all."

"I think that would boost their spirits, Highness," Darien replied, nodding his head as he spoke. "It would improve their skills greatly." A crooked smile crossed his face, as he looked at Kento. "If I may ask, did you make this request upon one of Serenity's impulses?"

Kento chuckled. "You know her too well."

Darien laughed, and then cleared his throat, gaining the children's attention once again. "Well, that will be all for today. You'd all better get some rest tonight; you'll need it for tomorrow. You are dismissed."

A small cheer rose up as the young warriors got up, going towards where Kento stood. It was a rare occasion for the King to appear for one of their training sessions, and they were eager to talk with him. Chibi Moon stood more slowly, however, and as her henshin reversed, she went towards her Sensei.

"Uncle Darien," she asked timidly. He stopped what he was doing, and looked down at her.

"What is it, Small Lady," he asked, smiling at her. "Is something wrong?"

"I was wondering… Did I really do well today?" She looked down towards the ground, waiting for an answer nervously. She looked up as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be honest with you," he began. "The girls did do a better job than you did today, but that's only because they have more experience than you do. You did, however, do better than your peers. You have a bit of a edge over the other Ronins."

"I do?"

"Yes," he stated with a chuckle. "But you must learn to stay focused during these sessions. You're a lot like your mother, in that way."

"I'll work on that then, Sensei!" She bowed to him, and then bounded off towards where her father was.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Ryo of Wildfire stood watching, as the Ronins taught their sons how to fine-tune their sure-skills. Although Kento was King of Crystal Tokyo, Ryo was still the leader of the Ronins Warriors. He glanced over briefly, towards the other end of the room, where the Scouts were teaching their daughters about their powers. At the same time, Rei looked over in their direction, and their eyes locked.

"Dad?" Ryo's concentration broke, as he turned to look at his son. "Am I doing this right?" Ryo smiled inwardly, as he studied his son's technique.

"Your stance is wrong, Eunan," Ryo stated. He unsheathed his own swords, and demonstrated the correct form. As Eunan tried to mimic his father, Ryo sheathed his swords, and corrected Eunan's form. "Take notice of how this feels, son. This is the right way."

"Thanks Dad," Eunan exclaimed, his violet eyes sparkling with appreciation. Ryo nodded, ruffling the boy's hair, which was so much like his own. Eunan cocked his head to the side. "Could I show you my sure-skill now? I've improved it, since the last time." He smiled as his father nodded his head.

"Crescent … Beam …"

Rowen watched as his son took aim towards the target at the other end of the room. The young Ronin's arm shook slightly, as an arrow appeared on the string and energy began to collect there. "Concentrate, Kaden," he instructed.

Kaden took aim at the target once again, and blew away a stubborn lock of cyan-colored hair that fell into his face. He notched the bow, and an arrow appeared there, energy gathering around it. "Crescent … Beam … Surge!" He let the arrow fly, and as the arrow struck the target, phantom arrows appeared, following the path the original arrow took. They began to charge with energy and struck the target as well. Kaden smiled, and then turned towards his father. Blue oculars met blue, and Rowen returned his son's smile.

"Very good, Kaden," Rowen began. "If I'm not careful, you'll be just as good as I am in no time!"

"Father," Kaden trailed, his cheeks flushing at his father's praise.

Bryant stood in full armor, wielding his nodachi with the curved blade facing away from him. Green eyes flashed with concern momentarily as he gazed at his father, who stood across from him in the same, exact manner. A bead of sweat trailed down the back of his neck, however he dared not move, in fear that he would leave himself open for an attack. As electricity began to gather around his father, Bryant braced himself.

"Thunderbolt Cut!"

Bryant gasped, however stood his ground. He watched as the attack drew nearer, and then, adjusting his grasp on the hilt ever so slightly, he swung the sword out, seemingly absorbing the attack with his weapon. He charged towards his father, swinging out with the sword once again. "Lightning Blade Pierce!"

With a simple movement of his sword, Sage parried his son's jab, sending his attack wayward. He smiled as Bryant's jaw dropped in surprise. Chuckling slightly, Sage removed his helmet, shaking out his mass of hair. "It takes both precision and timing for your sure-skill to be effective, son," he stated.

Following his father's lead, Bryant removed his helmet. His short, damp, dirty-blond locks fell down into his usual hairstyle. "The armor is still heavy, Dad," he complained. "I'll never get used to it! It's not fair that Lotus is stronger…"

"Lotus is older, Bryant." Sage rested a hand on the young boy's shoulder, and smiled. "And you'll get stronger as you get older."

As Sai stood next to his son, a shaky smile wavered on his face. "Kiran," he began, "you must gather water around yourself. Summon it; draw it from the power of your armor."

Kiran nodded, and then stood with his trident grasped firmly in his hand. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, water slowly gathering at the end of his weapon. Smiling triumphantly, he tapped into his power more and the sign of Mercury began to glow softly on his gauntlets. He rose his arms into the air, preparing to perform his sure-skill.

"How's it going here?" Sai turned his attention away from Kiran, and saw as Amy and their daughter joined them.

"You're all done already, love," he asked his wife, kissing her briefly.

"It went rather quickly, actually," Amy answered with a shrug. "The children have improved so much. They just need to learn to better control their powers."

"Um… speaking of control, I think Kiran has lost his." Sai turned towards his daughter to question what she meant however Kiran cut him off.

"Dad, I can't stop it!" It was then that Sai noticed the ominous shadow looming overhead, seconds before the bubble of water burst, soaking everyone and everything. Kiran slowly lowered the trident to the ground, offering an apologetic smile.

"You did that on purpose," his sister accused, glaring at him.

"I did not," he exclaimed. He shook his head, his short, spiky brown quills sending water flying every which-way. His green eyes flashed mischievously and he smiled innocently. "Accidents happen."

"Next time, son," Sai stated, placing a finger against Kiran's forehead, "focus and control your power here, and don't depend so much on your armor."

"Either that, or make sure no one else is training in here with you." Kiran blanched, and then turned around. Standing there, were the other Ronins and Scouts, soaking wet as well. Before he could offer another apology, the entire area began to shake. As quickly as it began it stopped, and all present either sighed or rolled their eyes.

"That was Kento," Serenity stated with a sigh.

"Or Lotus," Rini offered. Not too long afterwards, father and son entered the room, and they stopped. They looked around the room, which was still wet from Kiran's _slip-up_.

"What happened in here," Kento asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The children were just about to start cleaning up," Ryo stated, suppressing a laugh as the children groaned in protest.

"Aw, but Dad," Kite cried. "It's Kiran's fault it's such a mess in here!"

"Don't argue with your father, Kitiana," Rei scolded.

"Think of this as a discipline exercise," Ryo added. "You'd better get started."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Sailor Pluto watched as the young princes and princesses cleaned up the mess they made after their training session. An amused smile crossed her face as she turned away from the scene. As was her place, she stood ever vigilant at the Time Gates. Her smile slowly faded, however, and a frown set upon her face instead.

"What is it that troubles you?"

Sailor Pluto turned towards the sound of the voice, and saw a figure standing among the mists. "Step forward, Celeste," she spoke. Obediently, the figure stepped forward, revealing the form of a girl.

"Am I needed," the girl asked.

"I must go and speak with Neo Queen Serenity," Pluto began, the time staff appearing in her hands. "Go to the Shrine of the Ancient Clan, and speak with the guardians there. Tell them the star is about to align itself with the moon. They will know what I mean."

"Your will shall be done." The girl bowed her head slightly, and her long, dark hair fell forward. "And I shall give your regards to Lady Kayura and the others," she continued, disappearing. Sailor Pluto watched as Celeste disappeared completely, before she turned on her heel, disappearing among the mist.

"Neo Queen Serenity," Pluto spoke, appearing suddenly in the throne room and kneeling before her queen, surprising the woman. A smile crossed Serenity's face, however it disappeared slowly as she listened to Pluto's words.

"What is this threat," Serenity questioned when Pluto finished, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

"I'm not quite sure, Highness. I must speak with Lady Kayura, first."

A frown crossed Serenity's face as she stood. "Do what you must, Setsuna, but keep the children safe."

"Of course. I will return shortly for the children," Pluto spoke, raising once again. As she disappeared from the room, Serenity sank down into her throne, burying her face into her hands.

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To Be Continued . . .


	3. Chapter 2

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I do not own the rights to any of the copyrighted characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The ones I create, however, are mine. Enjoy!

AN - Hey! I just wanted to remind you that the prologue focused on the present, and chapter one focused on the future. Now, from chapter two on, it will most likely switch between the two timelines. However, keep in mind, as you're reading, that (most) characters will have a present-self and a future-self. ^_^*

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Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 2

Crystal Tokyo was under siege and all Rini could do was watch in horror. Her mother and the elder Scouts were pooling their powers to cast a regenerative barrier around the elder Ronins, who had already fallen in battle. The Ronins had been defeated, one by one, by the mysterious woman and her warriors, who had appeared without warning. And now the only ones left to defend the kingdom were the younger Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors.

The children stood together, torn over what actions to take. Without the guidance of their parents, or Prince Darien, they didn't know how to go about helping. The woman and her main warriors had disappeared some time ago, however minor minions still remained, terrorizing the city. It was Lotus, who finally took charge.

"We have to do something," he exclaimed, gaining everyone's attention. "We must protect our parents and the kingdom!"

"No, Lotus," Chibi Mars stated, as she and the other Scouts stepped forward. "You and Rini are the crowned Prince and Princess. You shouldn't be fighting!"

"That's right, Lotus," Chibi Venus exclaimed, winking. "It's our job to protect you two. You should only fight when there's no other choice."

"But-"

"Don't argue," Chibi Mercury interrupted. "If something were to happen to either or you, then we'd all be doomed!"

"My sister's right," Kiran said. "We'll take care of our enemies. At least until the adults can fight again!"

"That won't be necessary," a voice spoke, causing the children to turn around.

"Lady Kayura," they exclaimed in unison.

"You've come to help," Chibi Moon asked.

"Of course we have, young one," Anubis answered, as he and the other Warlords stepped forward.

"Anubis! Why are you here, too," Chibi Moon asked. "Why aren't you in the city with Mia, Yuli, and-"

"My place is here, for the moment," Anubis interrupted. "Now you and the others," he continued, motioning to the youngest of the children, "return to the castle. There, you will find Sailor Pluto. She will protect you."

"We've been training for a situation like this," Eunan argued. "We can't just-"

"Father wouldn't want you to be put into unnecessary danger," Chibi Mars argued. "Not when there's a chance he and the others can still fight, Eunan." She paused, turning to Lotus. "Take your sister and the other Ronins to Sailor Pluto."

Lotus frowned. "I can't just leave you. What will you do?"

"The only thing we can," Chibi Mars answered. "We'll help our mothers. Our fathers call upon the power of the planets, as well as drawing strength from our mothers' powers and their own."

"That's right," Chibi Jupiter exclaimed. "If our fathers draw power from all of us as well, they'll be fighting again in no time."

"Then do not waste your time here," Sekhmet stated. "Your parents grow weaker by the moment." The girls nodded, turning to go where their parents were.

"Kitiana," Lotus exclaimed, causing her to stop. "Be careful, all of you."

"You too, Lotus," Chibi Mars replied, glancing towards the younger warriors. "Please protect them."

Lotus nodded, then turned to his sister and the other Ronin as the Scouts left. "We'd better get going." Kayura and the Warlords watched as the two groups separated, going in different directions.

"I did not expect for this day to come so soon," Dais commented, as the children disappeared from sight.

"Yes, but we knew that this would one day transpire," Kale stated grimly.

Sekhmet sneered angrily. "Why would that witch attack at such a peaceful time? How could she-"

"Witch is such a harsh word, dear Warlord of Venom," a woman spoke, interrupting him. The Ancient shrine guardians turned around and saw a woman with long, lilac-colored hair standing there.

"So, the prophecy has come to pass," Kayura stated, grasping the Ancient's staff in her hand. "You've finally managed to return, Aislyn."

Aislyn's pale blue eyes flashed coldly and a cruel smile spread across her face. "So I have, lost child of the Ancient Clan."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Keep moving, everyone," Lotus said, as he ran ahead of the younger children. Soft laughter could be heard as they ran down the main corridor of the castle, and they came to a stop.

"What was that," Chibi Moon asked. The young warriors grew tense, as they took in their surroundings, searching for the source of the laughter.

A single cherry blossom petal floated down from the ceiling, followed by another, until a steady fall of cherry blossoms surrounded the group. The petals seemed to affect the Ronins, as one by one, they fell into a slumber. A sudden power swept over them, and Chibi Moon found herself in her princess gown.

"It's a trap," Lotus exclaimed, as his head became foggy. "Rini, run!" Suddenly a rope of some sort shot out towards him, binding his arms and legs. Dark energy surrounded the rope, and he screamed out in pain before quickly succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Lotus," Rini screamed, running to his side and shaking him. "Lotus, get up!'

_"Rini."_ She gasped, as a voice whispered her name. To her surprise, a figure suddenly appeared on the ground, and her face grew pale.

"Uncle Darien," she cried, crawling over towards him. She laid her head upon his chest, sighing in relief as she listened to his steady breathing and heartbeat. Suddenly, cherry blossoms surrounded her, and her eyes began to grow heavy.

"We've done well, my sister." Mustering as much strength as she could, Rini looked up as she heard the feminine voice, and saw two figures approaching her.

"Who," she trailed, as her senses slowly left her. One of the girls knelt down next to her, and she could smell the fragrance of cherry blossoms wafting from her.

"We have, sister," the girl spoke as she smiled down at Rini. "Mistress Aislyn will be pleased."

Tears began to form at the corner of Rini's eyes. "Please, don't-"

"Shh," the girl interrupted, placing a finger gently to her lips.

_"Mother, Father… please help me,"_ Rini thought tearfully, finally succumbing to unconsciousness…

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Darien was walking down the street, passing nearby the Crown Center Arcade. The sky was overcast, and droplets of rain began to slowly fall from the sky. A sudden boom of thunder was heard, seconds before the rain started pouring down. Cursing in surprise, he quickly ran to the arcade, stepping inside. He had only been outside in the rain for a moment, but his clothes were soaked.

"Looks like you could use a towel, Darien." He looked up and saw Andrew, his best friend. The blonde man smiled, shaking his head. "I'll run to the back and get you one."

"Thanks," Darien trailed, as Andrew disappeared to the back. He began to shiver slightly, because of the crispness of the room from the air conditioning. Andrew returned, tossing a towel in his direction. "I appreciate it," he stated, walking over towards the counter as he dried himself off.

"No problem," Andrew replied. "I haven't seen you in here in a while. How have you been lately?"

"Busy," Darien exclaimed, with a forced chuckle. "Finals."

"Oh. I know how that is." The two men stood in silence awkwardly, until Andrew finally broke the silence. "I'd better get back to work."

"Sure," Darien stated. "Thanks again for the towel." Andrew nodded, and then went to take orders from customers sitting at the counter.

"Hello, Darien," a woman stated. He turned his head to the side, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Lady Kayura," he exclaimed.

"It's just Kayura, today," she winked.

"What are you doing here," he asked, noticing she wore regular clothing, instead of the Ancient Shrine kimono. "Has something happened?"

"Well, yes and no," she replied, a slight frown on her face. "I was discussing something with Anubis - shrine matters - but, I don't want to worry the Princess."

It was then that Darien noticed everyone was there. Serena, Rei, and Mia were sitting at a booth chatting, while Amy and Sai played a game of chess at the table next to them. Mina was showing Rowen her skills at the _Sailor V_ game, while Ryo, Yuli, Lita, and Sage sat at the racing games. Kento was returning to the booth where Serena sat, with ice cream for all of them, and Anubis sat at a table, awaiting Lady Kayura's return.

"Would you like to join Anubis and I," Kayura asked, causing Darien to look back at her.

"Oh, I don't know," Darien began. "I only stopped in here to escape the rain."

"Very well then," she stated, looking out towards the sliding doors. "It looks like the rain has stopped." Darien followed her gaze, and nodded in agreement. The sun was shining brightly now, as if it had never rained at all.

"There were supposed to be clear skies today," Darien commented, looking back at Kayura. "So much for that forecast."

"I'd like for you to stop by Mia's house later tonight," Kayura stated, as a silence settled between the two. "Kale, Dais, Sekhmet, and I will be there to finish the conversation I started with Anubis."

"What about the Ronins," he asked quietly, so that no one would overhear him. "Won't they be there?"

"No," Kayura stated. "They'll be gone until late tonight. They're taking the girls to dinner and a movie." She paused, and then looked into Darien's eyes. "It is your duty and ours to protect the Princess from harm. Something dark definitely lurks in the shadows."

"I'll be there," Darien said firmly. "You can count on it."

"Darien," Yuli exclaimed suddenly. The man looked up, and saw the energetic boy waving in his direction. Sighing, he walked over to the boy.

"Hi Yuli," Darien stated, then looking around. "Hi everyone."

"Are you going to hang out with us," Yuli asked. "You can play this racing game with me!"

"Maybe some other time," he replied. "I got soaked in the rain, so I'd better get home and change."

"Are you going to go with us on our trip," the boy asked. "We're all going on a road trip!"

"Nothing is definite yet, Yuli," Anubis supplied, when Darien didn't answer.

"If we do go, you should come with us, Darien," Serena stated, offering a smile. "It'll be fun!"

"I'll think about it," Darien replied, backing away. "I'd better get going. It was good seeing you all."

"See you around, Darien," Yuli called after him, as he turned to leave.

Darien turned and waved, then kept walking. He murmured a good bye in Andrew's direction as he passed by the counter. As he stepped through the doors, and they slid shut behind him, he sighed.

_"If we do go, you should come with us Darien… It'll be fun!"_ As Serena's words repeated in his mind, he shook his head.

"No," he mumbled. "If what Lady Kayura fears is true, then there's a fight ahead of us. Why can't we just ever have peace?" Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Darien began to once again walk down the street, heading towards his apartment.

Above Darien, the form of a woman stood on the building, watching his retreating form. Emerald-green eyes flashed triumphantly, as her gaze followed him down the street. "I've found you, Prince Darien," she stated softly. "Mistress Aislyn will be very pleased."

Darien stopped, as a voice carried in the wind, and he turned around. He looked above him, however didn't see anything. Shaking off the feeling he was being watched, he continued walking down the street.

__

To Be Continued . . .


	4. Chapter 3

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I do not own any of the copyrighted characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim them. The characters I create, however, are mine. Enjoy!

Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 3

"What do you think was wrong with Darien earlier?"

Serena, Mina, Rei, Lita, and Amy walked down the street together, their path illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlights. The five friends were on the way to meet their boyfriends for a night of dinner and a movie. The bright crescent moon hung in the sky alongside its' companion, a pale blue star.

"He probably just has a lot on his mind," Lita offered, answering Serena's question.

"I don't know," Rei argued. "He seemed very tense about something."

"It almost seemed like he was trying to avoid us," Serena stated quietly.

"I think, perhaps, that Lita is right," Amy commented thoughtfully. "Finals should have taken place this past week for University students. Darien is probably just anxious about his test score results."

"Amy, you have got to stop thinking about school so much," Mina exclaimed, linking arms with the blue-haired girl. "It's our vacation!"

"Yes, well, after finals, anxiety is-"

"That's what I'm talking about," Mina interrupted, wrinkling her nose. "You're still talking about studying."

"All I was going to say was that we should properly prepare for these tests," Amy stated in her own defense. "We'll be where Darien is in no time, and we don't want to get as stressed as he seems to be."

"You have a point," Mina stated, a thoughtful expression on her face. "But right now we should focus on more important things. Like our vacation!"

Amy rolled her eyes slightly, giggling as she shook her head. "I couldn't agree more, Mina." The girls continued walking down the street, talking with each other quietly. Suddenly, Serena stopped and looked across the street, and the others followed her gaze.

"Hey, isn't that Darien? Where's he going," Lita asked, as the girls continued to watch him walk down the street.

"Oh, he's headed towards Mia's house," Mina stated matter-of-factly.

"How do you know that," Rei asked.

Mina smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "I found out from Rowen," she answered. "Mia, Anubis, Lady Kayura, and the other Shrine guardians are supposed to be having this super-secret meeting tonight. I guess that Darien was invited, too."

"I have the strangest feeling that something is wrong," Serena stated. "Why would they have a meeting without us?"

"Serena, don't worry," Amy exclaimed. "If it were something important, then we'd know. They would have told us about it."

"Amy's right," Lita agreed, grabbing a hold of Serena's hands. "Now let's get going. The boys are waiting for us!" Laughing, Lita pulled Serena with her as she ran, and the others followed, Darien momentarily forgotten.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Darien walked up to the Koji residence, pausing at the door. As he rose his hand to knock, the door opened, and Yuli was standing there.

"Hi Darien," he exclaimed, stepping to the side so he could come inside. "Come in! Everyone's been waiting for you." Darien smiled slightly, ruffling the boy's hair as he stepped inside past him.

"Yuli, is that Darien," Mia's voice spoke, moments before she appeared in the foyer. She smiled when she saw the two standing together. "Come on in, Darien," she stated. "The others are in the living room."

"Come on, Darien," Yuli exclaimed, tugging on his arm.

"Not you, young man," Mia stated, grasping Yuli gently by his shoulders. "You're going to bed." The trio walked towards the living room, causing Anubis and the Shrine guardians to look up.

"Aw, but Mia," he whined. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, Yuli," Mia replied, smiling somewhat apologetically. "It's past your bedtime. Let's go." As Anubis stood up, Mia waved for him to sit back down. "I'll take him. You should start without me."

"Good night everyone," Yuli called out, as Mia ushered him towards the stairs. "Come on, White Blaze." The tiger looked up from his sleep, and then grunted as he stretched. Standing slowly, White Blaze went upstairs ahead of the boy. The others watched as Mia and Yuli went upstairs, and once they were out of sight, Kayura turned towards Darien.

"I'm glad you could make it, Darien," she began.

"Well, thanks for inviting me," he replied. "I wouldn't have known about the meeting, if I hadn't run into you at the arcade."

"Your place is here, anyway," Kale stated. "Do not forget, Prince Darien, that it is your duty to protect the Princess as well."

"It's the duty of the Scouts to protect the Princess," Darien said through clenched teeth. "It's my duty to protect the planet. I only choose to help protect Serena."

"This meeting is not about protecting our Princess," Anubis stated calmly. "With the protection of both the Scouts and the Ronins, she is perfectly safe."

"Let us not forget, that Prince Darien needs our protection, as well as the Princess," Kayura commented. "He will play an important role in our future." As a silence settled in the room, Mia came back down the stairs.

"You still haven't begun," she asked, walking towards the couch and taking a seat next to Anubis. "What is this meeting about?"

"About the prophecy of the Sorceress Aislyn," Anubis answered, looking over towards Lady Kayura. "She was a high priestess of the Ancient Clan."

"Are you talking about the woman from the story you have told Yuli," Mia asked.

"Yes," he replied, looking back towards Mia. "Only she is real. She casts her dark shadow over our future."

"Who is she," Darien asked. "And why is she a threat to us?"

"Allow me to explain," Kayura stated. "Long ago, the high priestess Aisyln was banished because of her deeds against the Ancient Clan. She conspired with a powerful demon, to steal away the child next in line to lead the Ancient Clan, so that she could become ruler. She bestowed upon the demon a powerful armor, to give him more power."

"Do you mean to say that the demon was Lord Talpa," Mia asked, gasping at the realization. "Why would she turn against her own Clan?"

"No one knows her reason behind her motives," Dais answered.

"But now that she may be free from her imprisonment," Sekhmet began, "she will want revenge against descendants of the Ancient Clan, as well as holders of the mystical armor she created with her magic."

"So that means she'll be after all of you," Mia stated quietly, a worried expression on her face as she looked over at Anubis.

"It also means that the girls will be in danger," Darien said with a frown. "Because of the Ronins's armor." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What can we do?"

"It is already too late for us to stop her," a voice spoke, as two figures appeared in the room. As the light around the figure faded, it turned out to be Setsuna, and she had an unconscious Rini in her arms.

"Setsuna," Kayura exclaimed, glancing down at Rini. "What's happened? Why are you not at the gates?"

"Rini appeared to me at the time gates, but something was wrong," Setsuna began. "I don't know what happened. I was about to send her through the gates, when I was attacked."

"Let me take her, Setsuna," Anubis offered, taking Rini from the woman.

"So what happened," Mia asked. "Were you able to stop your attackers?"

Setsuna shook her head. "From what Lady Kayura has told me, I believe that the intruder was Aislyn. I managed to escape with Rini, but I left the gates unguarded. It's only a matter of time before she follows."

"Can you seal the gates," Kayura asked, with a serious expression on her face.

"I can try," Setsuna replied. She raised her arm in the air to summon the time staff, and as it appeared in her hand, a dark aura surrounded the staff. Frowning slightly, she gasped in alarm as the energy suddenly began to strike her, draining her strength. Her legs gave out, and the staff loosened from her grasp as she felt herself falling.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"My Queen," Sailor Pluto exclaimed, as she, Lady Kayura, and the Warlords found Neo Queen Serenity. The Queen, the elder Scouts, and the elder Ronins were together in the once beautiful gardens, which had been ravaged from the fighting. The Ronins were still unconscious, and the Scouts were incredibly weakened.

"Setsuna," Serenity exclaimed, glancing behind the woman towards Anubis and the Shrine guardians. "You were all able to make it back here safely."

"My Queen," Kayura began. "We should have foreseen this sooner. The palace, your kingdom, all lay in ruin."

"That does not matter to me," Serenity stated, a sad smile on her face. "What of the children?" Lady Kayura's face grew pale.

"They did not make it here," she asked.

"I had Celeste help me look for the children, as well," Sailor Pluto stated, her face growing pale, too. "She hasn't been here?" Tears began to poor in Serenity's eyes as she shook her head.

"They're gone," a voice spoke, as an injured figure emerged from the shadow.

"Darien," Serenity exclaimed, her hands flying to her face as she saw him. Darien's cape was torn, and he grasped his bloodied side in pain. He had an abrasion on his temple, and as he tried to limp towards the group, he began to fall over. Sailor Pluto caught him before he fell, however, helping him to support his weight.

"The children have gone missing," Darien stated, breathing heavily. "I could not help them."

"You did all you could," Pluto said gently. She walked him over towards an overturned bench, setting him down on it. "Nothing more can be done. We'll find them."

"You don't understand," Darien stated. "Those girls that attacked; they didn't harm Rini or me. But the other children…"

"Aislyn will try and change the past if she's not stopped," Kayura interrupted. "To get revenge for what happened to her."

"Then I must go and warn my younger self," Pluto began. "Hopefully, I will also be able to-" She suddenly grabbed her head in pain, and fell down to her knees. The birthright of Pluto shined brightly on her forehead, and her henshin began to reverse. All present watched speechlessly as her fuku disappeared, and was replaced by her princess gown.

"Setsuna," Serenity exclaimed. "What happened. Why have you changed?"

"I didn't do it," Setsuna replied. "The winds of change have begun already." She summoned the time staff, however the garnet orb was dull and lifeless. "The past has already been affected."

"Then nothing can be done," Kayura stated. "We are powerless to help."

"It will be up to our past selves, to stop Aislyn now," Anubis spoke. "I only hope they'll be able to stop her."

__

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 4

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I do not own any of the copyrighted characters in this fanfic. The characters I create and the idea, however, are mine. Enjoy!

AN - I hope you're all enjoying the story so far! I must apologize for the cliffies, but they are necessary for what I have planned in the future. *smiles mischievously* I'll try not to make it too bad, however. Well, enough of my rambling. Please review!

****

Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 4

Setsuna's eyes fluttered behind her eyelids, however she was too tired to open her eyes. She could feel the carpet underneath her, but strangely, she also felt a source of warmth. She tried to move, but her body was weak, and for some reason, her energy was almost completely spent. _What had happened to her?_ That, she couldn't remember.

"Setsuna, please open your eyes."

The voice sounded close to her, and she became vaguely aware of a pair of arms that supported her. Someone was holding her… but why? She slowly began to remember that some sort of energy had struck her; dark, negative energy that began draining her strength, and caused her to feel faint. _But what happened after that?_ She heard the voice calling out to her again, and using all the strength she could muster, she tried opening her eyes.

"Setsuna, wake up!"

The voice was more insistent this time. Groaning slightly, Setsuna shifted her head to the side, and slowly opened her eyes. As her eyesight came back into focus, she looked around the room, noticing that the shrine guardians looked down at her with worried expressions on their faces. Finally, she looked up, and found herself staring into a familiar face.

"Darien," she asked uncertainly.

"Yeah," he answered, relief replacing the look of concern that had been expressed on his face. "You really had us worried, Setsuna."

"Wha-" Setsuna trailed off, and weakly brought up her hand, placing it against her forehead. Her head shifted to the side slightly, causing her hair to fall into her face. "I feel strange," she stated softly.

"You shouldn't strain yourself," Darien warned. "Setsuna, what happened to you?"

"I… can't quite explain it," she answered, looking back up at Darien. Fear clouded her eyes, as he stared deep into their depths, however when she blinked, it was gone.

"Setsuna-"

"Do not worry about me," she interrupted, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Now please, help me stand."

"Sure," he stated, taking her hand and pulling her up as he stood. Once she was on her own feet, she swayed a bit, and Darien pulled her to him, steadying her.

"Thank you," she said quietly, as the phone rang. Mia went to the receiver, picking it up.

"Hello," she greeted, then growing silent as she listened to the caller. "Oh, Ryo," she exclaimed, causing the others to look at her. She pulled the phone away from her ear, holding it against her chest. "What should tell him," she asked, whispering the question.

"Not a thing," Setsuna stated, frowning slightly. "We can not let them know anything, until I know, myself, what is happening." Mia nodded her head, and then began talking on the phone once again.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Aislyn watched the scene in the Koji living room through a magic ball and waved her arm in disgust, causing some of the candles in the room to flicker. As her arm dropped back down to her side the scene disappeared, changing the magic ball into a crystal orb. Her hands balled up into fists at her side, as her pale blue eyes flashed with unchecked anger.

"Seems I have underestimated you, Sailor Pluto," she stated in a soft, low voice. Her magical energy began to spark around her frame, causing the orb to begin cracking. "I will not be denied my dream!" As she screamed, the crystal orb shattered, sending jagged pieces flying through the air. She flinched slightly, as a glass shard flew past her, cutting her face.

"What troubles you, Mistress?"

"Your failure," Aislyn sighed, turning as four figures suddenly appeared, half-shrouded in shadow. As she walked, she heard the click of boots against the marble floor from behind her, and she continued to speak. "Girls, I crafted you from perfection, and you still failed me."

"We did not mean to," they exclaimed as one. And, as one, they watched as Aislyn sat in a chair not quite a throne, yet was an ornately decorated and overstuffed seat. Coming forward, two of the girls kneeled at either side of her, while the third kneeled by her feet, and the last tended to the wound on her cheek.

"Your failure is but one," Aislyn spoke. "I have already taken care of the problem." She paused, a semi-kind smile appearing on her face as she looked at the girls. "I have a gift for each one of you."

"You do," the girl by her feet exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"I do. Now hold out your hands," Aislyn stated. The girls did as they were told, and Aislyn closed her eyes in concentration. When she opened them again, each of the girls held in her hand an orb bearing a different symbol.

"What do we do with them," the girl tending to Aislyn's cheek questioned, her pastel pink eyes wondering.

"I've waited too long for my revenge," Aislyn began. She held out her palm, and the girls watched as a magic ball with the image of Setsuna appeared. "Sailor Pluto is the only one who can interfere with my plans. Take your gifts, and cause her to fight you. My magic will take over from that point."

As Aislyn was speaking, the girls had gotten up, and now stood in front of her. "We will not fail," they exclaimed, bowing at the waist. As they turned to leave, she held up her hand.

"Remember that my interests are not the only ones to keep in consideration." She stared at each girl, her meaning very clear. Her expression was serious, and the girls swallowed noisily. Bowing, the four girls began to disappear.

"Sailor Pluto will be sorry she interfered with your plans, Mistress," their voices were heard, followed by the sound of girlish laughter. Aislyn pursed her lips, as she continued to stare at the space they had been standing.

"You're a strong one, young Princess Rini," she spoke, as an image of the sleeping child appeared in the magic ball. "I do hope you will awaken soon. Things will be more interesting that way." A small breeze suddenly blew through the room, billowing Aislyn's fine, lilac hair, and blowing the candles out.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Ryo, you worry too much," Mina exclaimed, as she and the others crowded around the phone booth, where the Wildfire armor bearer stood. "Nothing is going to go wrong! Mia and the others are fine."

"Mina's right," Kento added. "Besides, Lady Kayura and the Warlords are warriors themselves. So why are you so worried?"

"I just feel the same way that Serena does," Ryo commented, dialing the number at the Koji residence. "Why would they hold a meeting without us, unless they didn't want us to know something. I'll just feel better once I know for sure that everything's fine."

"They're probably just having a party," Lita stated as a blush crept over her cheeks. "Or maybe Anubis asked Mia to marry him, and they wanted to celebrate with the others, without us around."

"Do you really think he asked Mia to marry him," Mina asked, a dreamy look appearing on her face. "That would be we could be her bride's maids!"

"And she would be a spring bride," Rei exclaimed as she, too, began to daydream. "That sounds so romantic!"

"Maybe they're being secretive purposely," Sage commented dryly. "And you're overreacting in the same, exact way they thought you would." The three girls turned to him and glared, causing him to laugh nervously.

"Mia, hi," Ryo exclaimed suddenly, causing the others to grow silent. They leaned forward, straining to hear what was being said. "How are things there?" There was a long, silent pause, before Mia finally answered.

_"Oh, Ryo! Why are you calling while out on your date? Has something happened?"_

"No," he replied slowly, wondering why she would ask him such a question. "Mia, are you sure nothing's wrong? You sound worried about something. Did the meeting go well?" Again, she didn't answer right away.

_"The meeting went fine, Ryo. As a matter of fact, we're about to wrap things up here, and-"_ Her sentence was cut off by scream, followed by a loud thud.

"Mia," Ryo exclaimed. He looked at the others, as they, too, began to look worried. "Mia, answer me," he stated into the phone frantically. "What's going on? What happened?" After a pregnant pause, Mia finally answered.

_"Sorry, Ryo, I dropped the phone. It was only Yuli. He's had a nightmare."_

"Mia," he began skeptically. "I know you, and something's not right." He frowned when she didn't answer. The only thing he could hear was screaming, and some other noises in the background. "Mia, I don't think-"

_"I have to go, Ryo. Please, don't worry about things here, and enjoy the rest of your date."_ Before he had the chance to reply, Mia's end of the line went dead. He returned the phone to its' holder, and slowly turned around towards his friends.

"Well," Serena prompted. "What's going on?"

"What was that screaming, Ryo," Amy asked almost at the same moment. When he didn't answer the girls' questions, Rowen frowned and stepped forward.

"Ryo," he stated, shaking his friend by the shoulder. "What did Mia say?"

"That scream," Ryo trailed thoughtfully, looking up at his friends. "Mia said it was Yuli, but I don't think it was him. It didn't sound like him at all."

"Well then, no use standing around here wondering about it," Sai commented. "We should get back to the house, and see for ourselves." Wordlessly, the teens began running down the street, headed towards Mia's house.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"_Mama, Papa,_" Rini cried out in her sleep. "Please help me! No, don't leave me alone. Don't go!" The child had begun screaming and thrashing about in her sleep, startling the adults with her sudden outburst. In her surprise, Mia had dropped the phone, and she fumbled to pick up the receiver.

"What evil spirit has invaded that girl," Sekhmet asked loudly, causing Mia to frown in his direction and wave her hand for his silence. Sighing as Darien went to Rini's side, she put the phone back up to her ear.

_"Mia! What's going on? What happened?"_

"Sorry, Ryo, I dropped the phone," she apologized. "It was only Yuli. He's had a nightmare." She tuned the sound of his voice out as she glanced back over at Darien, who tried to rouse Rini from her fitful sleep.

"Mia…?" Yuli's sleepy voice came from the stairwell, causing Mia's face to grow pale. She turned to look at him, however he was staring at Rini, a frightened look on his face.

_"Mia, I don't think-"_

"I have to go, Ryo," she blurted out, cutting him off in the process. "Please, don't worry about things here, and enjoy the rest of your date." She slammed the phone down, just as Yuli ran over to her, burying his face into her stomach.

"Mia," he exclaimed in a muffled voice. He looked up towards her, tears streaming down his face. "What's wrong with Rini? Why is she screaming? Why?"

"It will be alright, Yuli," she stated in a soothing voice, kneeling down next to the boy and pulling him into a hug. She looked over the top of his head towards Darien, who still tried to awaken Rini.

"Rini, it's alright," Darien exclaimed, gently shaking her. Slowly, her screams subsided, and she opened her watery eyes, looking up at him. "You're safe now, Rini," he said quietly. "You're not alone."

"Darien," she wailed, lunging forward and burying her face into the crook of his neck. As she sobbed, he gently rubbed her back, whispering reassurances to her.

"Rini," Yuli asked uncertainly, as her whimpering subsided. She pulled away from Darien and looked over in the boy's direction, and a look of confusion appeared momentarily on her face. As Yuli began to go to her side, Setsuna brought up a hand, motioning for him to stop.

"Small Lady," she began. She kneeled by the couch where Darien held Rini, and placed a hand gently on the girl's shoulder. "Can you tell us what's happened? Why have you returned to the past?" The girl's emotionless gaze shifted from Yuli to Setsuna, and as she focused on the woman's face, anger flashed in her eyes.

"You," she screamed, lashing out at her, and slapping her across the face. Setsuna fell back, and brought a hand up to her stinging face gingerly.

"Small Lady!"

"Everything's your fault," Rini continued, ignoring the outburst from the shrine guardians. "It's all your fault! Why didn't you stop them?"

"Rini," Darien exclaimed, frowning. "Stop this at once!" She tried to attack Setsuna once again, however he held her by the arms tightly. "Why are you acting like that towards Setsuna? What's her fault?"

"You're supposed to care about me," she whispered, confusion clouding her features. "You're both supposed to care about me!" She jerked away from his grasp, and ran towards the door, however Kale grabbed her.

"Small Lady," he stated calmly. "You are not going anywhere."

"Let me go," she screamed.

"I will not, child," he replied. "Not until you settle down."

Rini tried unsuccessfully to pull away, and slowly began to relax. As Kale let her go, White Blaze, who had followed Yuli downstairs, began to growl and advance towards her.

"White Blaze, don't," Yuli exclaimed, trying to hold the tiger back. "You know her! She's your friend!" The tiger broke away from him, however, running towards the girl. Just as he jumped towards her, biting an invisible object near the girl, the rings on the Ancient's staff began to chime.

"What in the world," Kayura whispered, as the staff appeared, floating as it materialized in front of her. The staff's rings continued to chime, and as it levitated towards where White Blaze stood, a brilliant light spilled forth. As the light slowly faded, Dais was the first to notice a thin, red line wrapped around Rini.

"I see," he stated, as he and the others gathered around the girl. "White Blaze sensed the presence of evil magic, even before we did."

"It is powerful magic indeed," Anubis commented. He patted the top of White Blaze's head, causing the tiger to drop the line from his mouth and sit on his haunches.

"What can we do," Mia asked, directing the question towards Kayura. The woman studied Rini, following the path of the line with her eyes.

"It would seem the source is without," she stated, pointing towards the door. The thread of a line led from Rini, trailing out the front door.

"Rini," Darien began, kneeling next to the girl. She looked at him, her eyes slightly dazed. She leaned forward, suddenly disappearing.

"Rini," Yuli exclaimed. He ran towards the door, and Mia yelled out after him.

"Yuli, come back here!" She ran out after him, and the others followed. Mia caught Yuli, just as Darien and Setsuna made it out onto the front yard. Kayura and the Warlords stood on the porch, watching as the boy called out for his best friend.

"Do you see Small Lady anywhere," Kayura asked, walking down the steps. Suddenly, she spun around as she heard the Warlords scream in pain.

"A barrier," Dais sneered, as dark energy spread across an invisible wall. "For some reason, we can not leave the porch." Next to him, Sekhmet cursed.

"It must be the work of Aislyn," he stated. "It's the only possible explanation."

"Mia, Yuli," Ryo's voice shouted. The sound of feet against pavement was heard, as Ryo and the rest of the teenagers ran up the driveway, and finally reached the lawn.

"Setsuna," Serena gasped, upon seeing the woman. "What are you doing here?"

"Princess-"

"Serena," Yuli cried out, interrupting Setsuna. "Did you see her? Have you seen Rini?"

"Rini," Kento asked in surprise. "Yuli, Rini's gone. She went back to the future, with Lotus and Kitiana. They left months ago."

"But she was here," Yuli argued. "You have to believe me! She was here, and she disappeared. It was Aislyn! Aislyn took Rini!"

"Aislyn," Serena asked. "Who is she? Yuli, I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," a young, feminine voice spoke, followed by laughter. The warriors stood on guard, as suddenly, four young women appeared. Their bizarre hairstyles and clothing, however, made them appear almost childish. The girl, who had spoken, stepped forward, pulling a whip tautly in her hands.

"What did you do to Rini," Yuli demanded

"Do you mean, her," she asked, pulling on her whip slightly and making the young princess appear.

Serena gasped, not believing her eyes. "Rini," she exclaimed, causing the girl to look over at her blankly. She tried to run over to her future daughter, however Setsuna stepped forward, putting out an arm in front of her.

"Enough of your games," Setsuna stated calmly. "You are the ones who attacked me at the time gates, causing me to flee. Who are you?" The girls looked at each other and smiled.

One of the girls waved her arms excitedly, causing the strange ornaments of the headband she wore to clink together. "Parapara will go first," the energetic girl exclaimed, her blue hair pulled up into a single bun on the top of her head. Her sisters gave her an annoyed look.

"I think you already have, Parapara," the girl next to her exclaimed. She brushed aside a lock of her pink bangs, as she looked back towards Setsuna. A bow adorned the bun at the top of her head, and two looped streamers fell down her back. "I am Cerecere."

"Junjun." Her green eyes flashed, as she looked over the group. Her chocolate-colored hair wrapped around in a braid across the front of her head, and then was pulled back into three ponytails, sticking up in different directions.

"And I am Vesves," the girl holding the whip spoke. Her long, red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with beads of pearl tying it off into sections. She pulled the whip taut once again, when suddenly a rose broke through the line, causing Vesves to fall over. Rini swayed, and then fell to the ground, motionless.

"Hey," Junjun exclaimed angrily, glaring at Darien, as she helped her sister stand. As Darien began to pull out another rose and his mask, Setsuna put a hand on his arm, causing him to stop.

"Darien," she stated, shaking her head. She turned back towards the girls, stepping forward. "If it is a fight that you want, it's a fight you shall get!" She raised her arm and her pen appeared in her hand, the sign of Pluto blazing at the top of it. "Pluto Planet Power!" Behind her, from their confined space, the four Warlords screamed in protest.

Lady Kayura suddenly sensed a magical presence in the air. "No, Setsuna! Stop," she screamed. Her warning, however, came too late.

The four sisters raised their arms into the air as well; the orbs Aislyn had given them appearing in their hands. The four orbs shot out towards Setsuna, hitting her in the chest and passing through her. Her eyes grew big, and her pen slowly slipped from her hand.

"_Setsuna_," Serena screamed, running towards the woman. Darien caught her as she began to fall, and slowly lowered her to the ground. The four orbs floated ominously overhead.

"Setsuna," he stated, taking her hand and holding it to his chest. "Setsuna, say something!"

"I-I-" Setsuna stuttered, trailing off as she gasped for air. Serena joined her side, and held her other hand. Setsuna looked from one face to the other, as tears pooled in her eyes and spilled over. "I'll be fine." As she closed her eyes, the sign of Pluto faded from her pen, and the orbs floated back over to the sisters. They looked at the orbs strangely, as the signs upon them now radiated with energy.

"Let's go," Cerecere stated, as each of the girls grabbed the orb floating in front of her. She, Junjun, and Vesves all flipped backwards, disappearing on the spot.

"Wait for Parapara," she exclaimed, gasping as the barrier holding back the Warlords suddenly dissipated. She took a few steps back and waved in Yuli's direction. "Bye-bye!" After performing several cartwheels, she giggled and flipped backwards, disappearing as well.

Mia's hands covered her mouth, as Yuli broke away from her, running over to Rini. Lady Kayura and the Warlords gathered around Serena, Darien, and Setsuna, and as Kayura waved the Ancient's staff over the fallen soldier, she sighed.

"It's as I feared," she stated. "Aisyln's dark magic has taken affect on her. She shall be fine, however, with a few days' rest."

"You lied to us." Lady Kayura turned to Ryo, who had spoken. "You said nothing was wrong," he stated, hurt expressed on his face. "You haven't changed a bit."

Kayura flinched slightly from the sting of his words, turning her back to him. "At the time, Ryo of Wildfire, there was only a concern, not a problem." She looked back towards Darien. "We should get Setsuna into the house," she stated softly.

"Alright," he murmured. Grunting slightly as he picked Setsuna up, he followed behind Lady Kayura as she led the way back to the house.

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To Be Continued. . .

Phew, done! *_boos and jeers are heard*_ Now, now! Don't complain… I wrote this part, just so there _wasn't_ too bad of a cliffhanger at the end. This chapter is also longer than I usually write them, so I do expect more reviews! ^_~


	6. Chapter 5

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I do not own any of the copyrighted characters in this fanfic. The characters I create and the idea, however, are mine. Enjoy!

AN - I've been super-busy over the last couple of weeks, and I haven't had the time that I'd like to have had in order to write! ^_^* But here's the next chapter, for your reading enjoyment.

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Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 5

Flickering candles lined the path the Amazoness sisters walked to where Aislyn waited for their return. Their hushed whispers bounced off the walls of the corridor, and the only other noise in the eerily quiet place was the click of their heels against the marble floor. A breeze could be felt blowing from the slightly opened door ahead of them, which led to Aislyn's chamber. As they reached the door, Vesves suddenly stopped, causing her sisters to stop as well.

"What do you think these are for," she asked, staring at the orb she held in her hand. The strange marking on the orb emitted a faint glow, and it radiated with power.

"Who knows," Junjun stated with a shrug, looking down at her orb as well. "All that matters is that we've done what the Mistress asked us to. I just hope next time, we'll be able to have more fun."

"Parapara says Mother will be pleased," the girl exclaimed, followed by her childish giggling.

"Don't call her that, Parapara," Cerecere scolded, frowning slightly at the blue-haired girl.

"She is like our mother though, isn't she," Vesves questioned, biting her bottom lip in thought. "She did create us."

"But considering what she's told us of her life, it's not wise to call her mother," Junjun stated. "Not unless she wants us to." She shook her head slightly, turning back towards the double doors. As she stepped forward to push the doors open fully, they seemed to swing open by themselves. The sisters gasped, looking at each other with surprise written on their faces.

"Let's get going," Cerecere stated, taking an uncertain step into the darkness. As her sisters followed behind her, candles began to light themselves, creating a path they could follow.

"You've returned, children," Aislyn's voice carried through the room. "Did you do what I asked of you?" No one answered right away as the candles continued to light up, eventually leading to where Aislyn sat. She looked up expectantly, her pale blue eyes unreadable.

"We managed to do what you wanted us to," Vesves ventured, as they came to stand together in a straight line. They held out their hands, showing the orbs to Aislyn. "Small Lady, however, is-"

"Do not worry about her for now," Aislyn interrupted. "I am pleased with your accomplishment at hand." She stood from her seat, walking over towards the girls. As she stopped in front of Vesves, the redheaded girl swallowed noisily.

"Mistress, I-"

"Wasn't there a question you wanted to ask, Vesves?" Aislyn paused, glancing at the other three girls. "In fact, you were all wondering what the significance of these orbs were," she continued. A small smile appeared on her face, as the girls gasped. "And now I suppose you're wondering how I know these things. I am your mother after all, aren't I?" A silence settled over them, and Aislyn looked towards Parapara. "Don't you want to know what they are for?"

"Parapara wants to know!" As the girl bounced in place, her excitement spread to her sisters.

"What are they for, Mother," Cerecere asked. Junjun gave her a sideways glance, shaking her head slightly, however remained quiet.

With a wave of Aislyn's arm, the orbs floated from each of the girls' hands, floating up and attaching to their foreheads. Each girl let out a short scream as the orbs assimilated with her, and their bodies went lack. As the symbol from each orb began to burn on their forehead, their eyes became blank.

"This is the next part of my gift to you, my children," Aislyn spoke, tracing over the symbols and reinforcing her magical powers into them. "It's a gift you will come to use well; a power bestowed upon you from the very cosmos itself." She stepped away from them, and they fell to the ground, exhausted…

A groan escaped from Parapara's lips as she groggily opened her eyes. Her eyesight was blurry, and she shook her head slightly, to clear her vision. She slowly sat up, looking around and taking in her surroundings. As she looked to the side, she saw Aislyn staring at her, an eyebrow arched in the air. "Parapara… feels strange," she stated slowly, looking up at Aislyn with confusion. It was then that she noticed her sisters nearby, sleeping peacefully.

"It's normal, little one, though I was expecting you to take more than a few days to recover," Aislyn replied, extending a hand towards the girl. Parapara accepted her offer, allowing her _mother_ to pull her to her feet. "I could use your help, though," Aislyn stated. "Do you think you can help me?"

"Parapara will try her best!"

"That's what I was hoping to hear you say," Aislyn smiled, patting the energetic girl on the top of her head. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Somehow, this is not how I imagined our vacation," Mina pouted. She was sitting on a blanket, on the front lawn of the Koji residence. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a bikini top, taking full advantage of the unseasonable warm spring weather as she rubbed suntan lotion over her arms and legs. Amy sat next to her, wearing a sundress and quietly reading a book. She paused in her reading, turning her face up towards the sun.

"How do you mean, Mina," she asked, letting out a contented sigh. "This is beautiful weather." Mina looked over at the blue-haired girl, and squirted the contents of the bottle out onto her friend. Laughing as Amy let out a squeal of surprise, the smile slowly melted from her face.

"We shouldn't have to spend our vacation like _this_," she stated slowly. She shook her head from side to side, and then groaned as she flopped back against the unforgiving ground. "I just wish this new enemy would attack or do something to make it worth-while for wasting our entire vacation! We could be having so much fun, but we're not! Because of _them_."

Amy turned slightly and watched as the blonde rolled over onto her stomach, however she remained silent. A shadow fell over them, and they both looked up to see Rowen standing over them. "Mina, I know you don't mean that, do you," he asked, taking a seat next to the girls.

"No," she answered with a slight whining tone in her voice, laying her head on her arms. She sighed once again, and then sat up, resting on her knees. She looked over at Rowen, and her usually crystal-clear blue eyes were clouded with her worries. "I just… I don't know."

"Don't know about what?" The three teens looked over, and saw Sage approaching them. He had a towel draped over his shoulders, and sweat beaded his forehead from a recent workout.

"About what to think of this enemy," Mina stated. She sighed, and then a sudden smile lit her face. "We might as well not worry about it for now! There's nothing we can do, until they make their move." She hopped up, grabbing Rowen by his hands.

"Mina, what-"

"Let's get something to eat," she exclaimed, pulling him up to his feet. She waved towards Amy and Sage, and Rowen shrugged his shoulders and gave his two friends an apologetic smile as he allowed Mina to lead him away.

Amy shook her head in amusement, and then closed her book. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she looked back up towards Sage. "How is Kento," she asked.

"Angry about this whole thing," Sage replied, crossing his arms over his chest. A crooked smile crossed his face as he thought of something. "I feel bad for that punching bag he's taking his aggression out on."

"It's understandable," Amy stated. "Serena hasn't left Setsuna's side since this all began, and Rini has been acting peculiarly." She trailed off, as a frown appeared on her face. "What do you suppose brought on this change?"

Sage never got the chance to answer, as a red sports car pulled into the driveway. As the engine cut off, the driver side opened and Darien stepped out, and as he walked around towards the front of his car, the passenger door opened, and Rini got out of the car. She slammed the door shut, and ran to catch up with Darien, latching onto his arm. The two made their way towards where Amy and Sage were, and as they approached them, a voice called over the yard.

"Rini!"

The pink-haired girl looked up, and a smile lit her face as she saw who had called out to her. "Yuli," she exclaimed, waving in his direction. He and Kento had just exited the house, and the young boy ran out in her direction. She let go of Darien's arm, and ran to meet her friend.

"Rini," Yuli exclaimed, as they met in a hug. "I'm glad you're back!"

"Me too," she replied. The two, running arm-and-arm, headed back towards the house. As they passed Kento, Rini paused slightly. An uncertain expression crossed her face as she looked at him, and then she smiled, before she and Yuli continued on their way.

"Rini, wait," Kento began, sighing as she paid him no heed. Running a hand through his drenched hair, he sighed as he clenched the towel he held tightly in his hand. Throwing a brief glance back towards the house, he walked down the steps and then began to jog, disappearing around the corner. Amy and Sage looked at each other in surprise, and then looked towards Darien, as he approached them.

"Hi Darien," Amy greeted. "You're back already?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I didn't want to stay away too long, and since Rini was with me, I decided to drive back." He looked towards the house, and his attention was drawn back towards Amy as she spoke again.

"I thought you were going to rest for a while?" She watched as he shrugged his shoulders, and confusion crossed her face. "Darien, is something wrong," she asked.

He slowly shook his head, focusing on Amy's face. "How's Setsuna," he asked, looking towards the house once again. "Is Serena still with her?"

"Yeah."

"That's good," he trailed. Without saying another word, he headed towards the house.

"That was strange," Sage commented, as he and Amy watched Darien's retreating figure. Although she didn't say anything, Amy silently agreed.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Ryo, I'm not sensing anything at all." Rei and Ryo were walking together, on a path nearby Mia's house. Ryo had wanted to survey the area, to make sure none of their new enemies were nearby, and Rei tagged along to place protective charms to ward off evil. She stopped and soon, Ryo realized she had done so, and turned back towards her.

"Rei, are you sensing something?"

"You weren't listening to me!" She frowned, crossing her arms. "Ryo, why are you so preoccupied? I just got finished saying I didn't sense anything." Her features softened, as she looked into his face. Taking a step towards him, she placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"I'm worried, Rei," he sighed. He looked away from her, staring at a fixed point in the distance. "Why did Rini come back here," he asked quietly. He turned his back to her, his shoulders sagging forward. "And why did she come back alone? What's going on?"

"Oh, Ryo." Rei took a step towards him, wrapping her arms around him from behind and resting her cheek against his back. "I miss Kitiana, too." There was a long stretch of silence as she listened to his breathing, when he spoke again.

"Rei?" He paused, however she remained silent, as she sensed he wanted to say more. "Do you think that I was too harsh towards Lady Kayura? We haven't seen her, or the Warlords, since what happened."

"I think," she began, carefully choosing her words, "that what you said sounded harsh, but needed to be said."

"Did you see the look on Lady Kayura's face," he exclaimed, guilt creeping into his voice. "I shouldn't have said it like that! I trust her and the Warlords. I would trust them with my life! I just-" He trailed off, sighing in frustration.

Rei silently walked around in front of Ryo. She trailed a hand down the side of his face, pushing his chin up so that she stared into his eyes. "She knows you trust her, Ryo," she began, a soft smile appearing on her face. "But we're a team now, and she can't tell us half-truths! Even if it's something we don't want to hear, she must talk with us. You did the right thing, Ryo, as the leader of the Ronin Warriors."

"Thanks, Rei," Ryo stated, pulling her into a hug. As they stepped apart, he grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Let's head back for the house. There's nothing out here." They began to make their way down the path, when they heard soft laughter filtering through the trees.

"What was that," Rei asked, tensing, as she became alert. Ryo stood next to her, looking around as well.

"Ryo of Wildfire, Parapara wants to play!" Ryo looked ahead, towards a branch where a figure sat. Her silhouette could be seen, outlined from a sudden flash of light. The light shot out in his direction and as it hit him, Rei screamed.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Fluffy, white clouds slowly rolled across the sky, casting their dark shadows over the warriors as they sat outside. Amy and Sage sat together still idly talking, and Sai had joined them. They turned, as they heard the door open and shut, and saw Mina, Rowen, and Lita each carrying a tray in their direction.

"Hi guys," Mina exclaimed, as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. "We brought everyone lunch." After Lita and Rowen had set their trays down, Mina looked around. "Where's Kento? I know I saw him come out here."

"We made sure to make some of his favorites," Lita smiled. "So he can't miss this!"

"He went for a jog, I think," Amy answered, taking a sandwich from one of the trays. "I guess he just wanted some time alone, to clear his head."

"He's taking Rini's reappearance really badly," Sai commented. "And with the way she's been acting, it's not surprising. I feel bad for Kento."

"It leaves you to wonder why she has come back here," Sage asked thoughtfully. "Was she sent here by her Mother, or was it some other circumstance?"

"We won't know the answer to that question, until Setsuna regains consciousness." The sound of chimes filled the air, as Lady Kayura walked towards them, seemingly from thin air. It was not her appearance, however, that surprised them the most.

"Lady Kayura," Rowen exclaimed, his confusion mirrored on the faces of his friends. "You're wearing your battle armor. What's going on?"

"I've done the only thing I can think to do," she replied. "Over these last couple of days, the knowledge I sought through meditation did not come to me. So, I have prepared myself for battle, for it is inevitable."

The sun suddenly hid behind the clouds, creating a dark atmosphere. Kayura cast a glance towards the sky, narrowing her eyes slightly as the clouds continued to shift slowly. The front door of the house slammed closed once again, and Kayura turned her gaze in that direction, spotting Serena. The blonde ran in their direction, stopping suddenly as a look of fear appeared on her face.

"What… are those things?" Confused by what Serena could have meant, Lady Kayura turned in the direction the teenager was staring at, and froze. Standing before them, were four armored samurai.

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To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 6

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I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim to. The idea, however, is mine.

AN - I know it's been forever and a day since I last updated this fanfic, so here's a quick recap:

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It's Spring Break, and the Ronins and Scouts are trying to enjoy it. They are unaware of the changes occurring in the future, until Rini suddenly appears. She's acting somewhat differently, and trouble followed her to the past in the form of a mysterious woman named Aislyn and the Amazoness Quartet. Already, the new threat has attacked the warriors, leaving Setsuna powerless and the Ancient Shrine guardians at a loss for what actions to take.

Enjoy your read, and please review!

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Dealing Fate's Hand

Chapter 6

Darien sat by Setsuna's bedside, watching over her quietly. He had relieved Serena from her station, insisting that she needed to get outside for some fresh air. Finally, she had reluctantly agreed, leaving him alone in the room. He stared down at Setsuna's still form, when suddenly a soft moan escaped her lips.

"Setsuna," he asked in a quiet voice.

Her head turned slightly, and slowly she began to open her eyes. She focused on his face, and slowly recognition entered her gaze. "Prince Darien," she whispered in a hoarse voice. A small, wry smile appeared on her face as she looked at him. "This is a bad habit we're forming." He chuckled lightly, before standing up. Walking over to a table that stood in the room, he poured a glass of water, and returned to her side.

"Here," he stated, as she weakly sat up in bed. He handed the glass to her, and she accepted it with a grateful smile.

She drank the water slowly, glad to wet her parched throat. As she finished, the door to her room opened with a creak, and both she and Darien looked over. Mia stood in the doorway, and as she saw Setsuna, a smile lit her face.

"I'm glad to finally see you up again, Setsuna," she stated, clasping her hands together in front of her. "We were really beginning to worry."

"How long was I unconscious," she asked, a small frown creasing her brow. Throwing off her covers, she began to get up.

"Setsuna, you should rest," Darien protested as he tried to keep her from standing.

"I must speak with Lady Kayura," she stated in a firm tone, shrugging out of his grasp. She lifted an arm into the air, summoning her henshin pen. She opened her mouth to speak, and hesitated as fear and uncertainty plagued her thoughts. Shaking her head, she shouted, "Pluto Planet Power!" However, as nothing happened, she slowly lowered her hand.

"Setsuna," Darien began.

"What's happened to me," she interrupted. As she turned to him, she grasped his arms tightly. "Why can't I transform? What did they do to me!"

"I don't know what they've done," he began, gently prying her fingers from his arms, and holding her hands in his. "Setsuna-"

"They used you to get through the time gates in the first place, Sailor Pluto. It's only fitting that they would tap into your powers as well."

Mia, Darien, and Setsuna looked towards a darkened corner of the room, where the voice had spoken from, and saw the figure of a young girl standing there. As she stepped out into the light, they could see her more definitely. She wore a long dress, which fell all the way to the ground, dragging slightly. The sleeves ran well past her hands, and her bare feet peaked out from the bottom of her outfit as she walked towards them. Her dark hair rested down her back, and green-tinted tendrils of hair fell into her face, slightly hiding her eyes, which were the same color.

"Who are you?" Her gaze shifted to Darien, who stood in front of the two women protectively. A sad smile appeared on her face as she spoke.

"I am not your enemy, so do not fear me," she stated. "My name is Celeste, and I've come to help."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The four armored samurai continued to stand motionless, which only added a tension to the already tense atmosphere. As the teenagers began to murmur amongst each other, Lady Kayura stepped forward. In a quick motion, her starlight swords were in her hands, extending to their full lengths. A soft laughter floated through the air, and a figure appeared suddenly behind the four samurai.

"Parapara," Lady Kayura stated, as the girl pushed her way in front of the soldiers. The warriors all watched her carefully, as she began to laugh.

"Parapara has gotten two already," she stated, mockingly extending and waving two fingers in the air. "Now she must get the last three." She began to juggle three objects, and three of the samurai walked forward, coordinating with her actions.

"Watch out," a voice screamed. The warriors turned in the direction the voice called out from, and saw Rei running towards them, waving her hands frantically. By the time the warriors turned back around, it was too late. The orbs floated in front of the blue-haired girl.

"Go," she shouted, thrusting her hand forward as the orbs shot out towards the group. The warriors tried to jump out of the way, however Sage, Sai, and Rowen each were struck by one of the orbs. They fell to the ground as the orbs passed through their bodies, similar to what had happened to Sailor Pluto earlier. The three samurai held out an arm, and as the orbs floated over towards them, they closed a fist around them. "Parapara has the whole set," the girl said excitedly, as four of the signs of the Ronin Warriors illuminated on the armor.

"No," Kayura whispered, as she realized what was happening. She turned around, seemingly in slow motion, as the girls called out their powers.

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

"Moon Cosmic Power!"

Without hesitation, Sailor Mars, who finally reached the group, stepped forward, an angry look on her face. "This is for Ryo," she yelled, as she gathered her power. "Mars Flame Sniper!" The burning arrow zipped towards the enemy, and just as it was about to strike Parapara, the samurai bearing the sign of Wildfire stepped forward, catching the arrow effortlessly. The arrow dispersed in its' hand, and Sailor Mars' eyes widened in disbelief.

Parapara laughed, jumping up and down as she clapped her hands excitedly. "Now get them," she commanded.

"That's enough, Parapara!" The girl turned around, smiling as her sisters appeared behind her. Junjun, who had spoken, crossed her arms as she continued. "You can't have all the fun, you know. Mistress Aislyn sent us, to make sure you don't get too carried away."

"Return to the Mistress," Cerecere stated. She waved an arm, and the four samurai disappeared.

"What have you done to the Ronins," Sailor Moon demanded.

"We're taking back what rightfully belongs to Mistress Aislyn," Vesves said, glancing over in Lady Kayura's direction. "The armor, and everything else that should have never been taken from her!"

"You'll never get all of the armor," Kayura exclaimed. "I shall see to that!"

"The power of your star is not intangible, you will soon see," Cerecere retorted. She raised an arm into the air, and her sisters followed her example. The faint glow of Pluto's symbol appeared on their foreheads, before being permanently replaced by four different signs, each glowing a different color: one pink, one green, one red, and the last blue.

Each sister was surrounded by a colorful aura reflecting the symbol upon her forehead, and a powerful wind swept around the area. The Sailor Scouts and Lady Kayura were puzzled, and didn't hear as the door opened and shut, until a gasp was heard. Kayura turned, and saw Setsuna, Darien, Mia, and a strange girl.

"Setsuna," Kayura spoke, gaining the woman's attention.

"It's the aura of a celestial body," Setsuna whispered. "How did they acquire such power?" As the wind began to die down, both women turned to look back towards the four sisters. Noticing an object in each of the girls' hands, Setsuna gasped.

"They have gained a power granted by Aislyn," Celeste spoke. "You must stop them from transforming!" Her words seemed to put the Scouts into action, however it was too late, as the sisters began to call upon their new powers.

"Ceres Asteroid Power!"

"Juno Asteroid Power!"

"Vesta Asteroid Power!"

"Pallas Asteroid Power!"

A great surge of energy swept around the four sisters slowly, and Setsuna grabbed her head, gasping as she lost her balance from a sudden dizzy spell. The sign of her planet burned brightly on her forehead, and as she slowly sank to the ground, she took a shuddering breath. "What have you done," she whispered, looking upon the four sisters. The light slowly dispersed, and a collective gasp escaped from the Sailor Scouts as they got their first look at the four sisters.

"They… they're Sailors," Mercury gasped, as she was the first to recover. "It's not possible! There's only us, isn't there?" They could only look at the four sisters in wide-eyed wonder as they stood proudly.

"Sailor Ceres!"

"Sailor Juno!"

"Sailor Vesta!"

"Sailor Pallas is here!"

Stepping forward, Sailor Ceres placed her hands on her hips. "We are the warriors of the asteroids," she stated. "And we won't be stopped."

"What's going on here," Mars demanded angrily. "How dare you disgrace the good name of a Sailor Scout!" Her fists balled tightly at her side, and she shook visibly with anger. "You don't stand for anything we do!"

"We won't stand for it," Venus echoed. Extending her arm up into the air, power began to gather around her. "Venus," she yelled. "Love Chain Encircle!" The attack rushed towards the sisters, and Vesta stepped forward, a smug smile on her face.

"Pathetic," she exclaimed, taking her whip into both hands. "Tumultuous Embrace!" She snapped her whip out towards the soldier of love, and it wrapped around the blonde, trapping her arms against her body. A gasp barely left Venus' mouth, before her screams of pain were heard.

"Venus," Sailor Moon screamed.

"It's pulling so tight," Venus cried out, as she screamed again. "It hurts!" Her teammates could see the whip pulling tautly, digging into her bare arms. She legs began to give out on her, and she slowly sank to the ground as Sailor Vesta laughed. Vesta froze suddenly, and from the corner of her eye, she saw the soldier of fire gathering power.

"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!"

It was Sailor Vesta's turn to scream, as the wave of fire washed over her, burning through her whip and allowing Venus to fall freely to the ground.

"Sister," Sailor Ceres exclaimed. Frowning, her hands dropped to her sides, her fingers spreading apart widely as cherry blossoms slowly floated down to the ground. As a sweet fragrance filled the air, she inhaled deeply. "Flower Petal Massage," she spoke softly. A wind picked the petals up from the ground, causing them to dance as they wrapped around the other warriors.

Celeste's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly brought up her arm, covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve. "Do not breath in her pollen," she warned. "You'll become paralyzed."

"I'm afraid it's too late," Mia stated, as she sank down to her knees. "I feel so weak."

"You must try and fight the effects," Celeste encouraged, her voice slightly muffled by her sleeve. Sailor Ceres chuckled, and flowers continued to flutter from her.

"Stupid girl," she exclaimed. "Just give in to my powers already!" The flurry of petals became fiercer, swirling into a whirlwind of motion. Finally, Celeste dropped down to one knee, no longer able to resist the paralyzing affects of the attack. Smiling in satisfaction, Ceres slowly relaxed her arms, and the flower petals disappeared. She laughed coldly as she watched her victims fall to the ground with a soft thud.

"Well," Juno began, watching as the warriors, Celeste, and Mia laid on the ground, unmoving, "wasn't that all very boring? They never really stood a chance against us. Mistress Aislyn's power truly is amazing."

"What are you going to do with us," Darien demanded, as he writhed on the ground, still unable to move. The sisters never got the chance to answer, as a gasp drew their attention. Turning, they saw Rini and Yuli standing a way off, looks of fear on both of their faces. White Blaze sauntered in front of the children, uttering a low growl in his throat.

"Mia," Yuli exclaimed, as he ran over towards the woman. Rini and White Blaze followed close behind him. At the sound of his voice, Mia tried turning her head to look at him, and sighed in frustration.

"Yuli, you have to get out of here," she stated instead. She felt herself being turned over, and soon she was staring up into the worried faces of the two children.

"Mia, are you alright," Yuli asked.

"You and Rini have to get out of here," Mia repeated. "None of us can move. White Blaze is the only one who can protect you! Please, take him and run away!"

"But, Mia-" His voice trailed as he heard White Blaze utter another growl, and sighed. "Okay," he stated. "We'll go. But we'll find help, I promise."

"What have you done with them," Rini demanded suddenly, as she ignored Mia's words and Yuli's promise. "I won't stand for this kind of treatment towards my friends!"

"Rini, you have to listen to Mia," Sailor Moon warned. "Get out of here now!"

"I won't do that," she retorted defiantly. "I'm a soldier, too, and I'll fight!" Placing a hand against her broach, she began to call upon her transformation as she raised her arms into the air. "Moon Prism-"

"Enough, Small Lady," Sailor Vesta exclaimed. Rini gasped as the soldier's whip wrapped around her wrists, tying them together and causing her broach to fall to the ground. "You'll come with us, now." White Blaze let out a ferocious roar, and ran at Vesta.

"White Blaze, no," Rini exclaimed. "Take Yuli and get out of here!" The enraged tiger paid her no mind, however, and as he continued his charge, Sailor Juno jumped into the air.

"Somersault Entrap," she exclaimed, flipping in the air. As she flipped around completely, she extended out her hands, and thin wires shot out from them. She landed in a crouch as the wires wrapped around the tiger, stopping him in his tracks. Standing, she pulled the wires tautly, and electricity traveled down the lines, striking the muscled beast down. As he fell down unconscious with a pained whimper, Yuli ran over to his side.

"White Blaze!" Dropping down next to the felled tiger, he began desperately pulling at the lines, trying to loosen them. "White Blaze," Yuli cried. "Wake up!"

"Vesta," Ceres began, unmoved my Yuli's show of emotions. "It's time for us to go. Bring Small Lady along."

"Not so fast!"

The sisters looked up sharply as the voice rang through the air, and gasped as two female figures landed in front of Rini. Narrowing her eyes slightly, a scowl found its' way onto Sailor Ceres' face. "Who are you," she demanded. She studied them intensely, and her eyes suddenly widened in recognition. "You! It can't be!"

The two girls stood, and one of them began to speak. "I'm glad you recognized us," she stated, sweeping her long, blonde hair over her shoulder as her placid cerulean-blue eyes flashed with determination. She was wearing a fuku; the white bodice set off by the colorful skirt. It was the color of mother-of-pearl, with orange being dominant in the array of colors. The bow at the front of her fuku was a navy-blue color, while the bow at the back was a gold color. Topaz, star-shaped earrings were in her ears, and at her throat was a choker, where a familiar marking emanated dark blue. Raising her arm, which was adorned with an elbow-length glove, she smiled confidently. The star-shaped, topaz jeweled tiara at her forehead glimmered as it caught the light.

"I hope you hadn't planned on harming our Small Lady," the girl next to her spoke, drawing Sailor Ceres' attention. Putting a gloved hand to her chin, she regarded Sailor Ceres with a pensive, yet thoughtful expression, as her stormy, sea-blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Her brow crinkled underneath her tiara, where an aquamarine jewel was embedded. Like her companion, she was also wearing a Sailor fuku. Instead of an orange color in her skirt, the dominant color was blue. The bow in the front of her fuku was light blue in color, and the back bow was dark blue. Star-shaped, aquamarine studs were in her ears, and around her throat was her choker, where the symbol upon it blazed a light blue color proudly.

"Now," the first girl spoke again, "let our Princess go!" With her arm still raised in the air, she brought it down to a horizontal position, as if she were holding a crossbow. "Venus Arrowhead Assault," she exclaimed, at the same time, fanning her fingers in an outward motion. The energy-charged bolts shot forward, striking both Sailor Vesta and Sailor Juno's weapons. With a smile of victory, she jumped up and back through the air, landing behind Rini. At the same time, the bolts broke through the weapons and both Vesta and Juno fell to the ground. As Rini fell back, the blonde girl caught her. The girl looked over slightly, making sure that White Blaze, as well, was released from his hold. She turned back around in time to see the rest of her attack strike down both Sailor Vesta and Juno.

"Sailor Chibi Venus," Rini exclaimed, smiling up into the blonde's face. Looking over at the other girl, she smiled again. "And Sailor Chibi Mercury."

"We're glad you're safe, Small Lady," Chibi Mercury stated. "You're not hurt, are you?" She smiled as Rini shook her head, and then returned her attention to their enemy.

"Play a game with Sailor Pallas," the usually, bubbly girl spoke, an angry tone to her voice. Energy began to gather between her cupped hands, forming into an energy ball. Raising the orb into the air, she looked back at the newcomers.

"That's enough, Sailor Pallas," Ceres exclaimed. "Our sisters are hurt. We must return to Mistress Aislyn for now." Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched as Vesta and Juno disappeared. "Now come along." Sailor Pallas turned, and watched as Ceres flipped back, disappearing into thin air. Glaring at her enemies, she turned, disappearing as she walked away.

As soon as the sisters were gone, the warriors, Mia, and Celeste were finally able to move once again. Celeste was the first to recover, and she slowly stood. Soon, the others followed suit. "You did well," she congratulated, causing Sailor Chibi Venus and Chibi Mercury to look at her.

"Celeste," Chibi Venus exclaimed, quickly going over to her, and hugging the slightly older girl. "Am I glad to see you! When we were separated coming here, I thought the worst might have happened!"

"All is fine, Sailor Chibi Venus," Celeste reassured her. "Where are the others?"

"They stopped to help Ryo and Kento," the blonde replied, throwing a glance down towards where Rowen, Sai, and Sage laid on the ground, still unconscious. Swallowing, she walked over towards Rowen, kneeling down next to him. Fighting back tears she refused to allow form, she looked back at Celeste. "The same thing happened here, too?"

"I'm afraid so," Celeste answered. Sighing, Chibi Venus stared down into Rowen's face, brushing aside the stubborn lock of hair that always fell into his face.

"Oh, poor Daddy," she stated softly. "You have to wake up."

"Do you know what's going on," Mercury asked, aiming the question to Celeste. She was knelt down next to Sai, a hand resting gently on his chest.

"The Sorceress Aisyln wishes to resurrect a powerful warrior," the girl answered, with a nod of her head. "And in order to do so, she needs the power of the armor she crafted."

"So that means she needs the armor of the Warlords, too," Kayura asked. Once again Celeste nodded her head.

"Um, excuse me." All eyes went to Yuli, who fidgeted slightly from the sudden attention. "Are you all, um," he paused, and looked at the three girls. "Are you all from the future, like Rini?" Celeste, Chibi Venus, and Chibi Mercury all looked at each other, however it was Chibi Mercury who answered.

"Yes, we've come back to help in this time." She smiled at the boy, studying him intensely. "You must be Yuli," she asked. "I would recognize you anywhere."

"You would," he asked, blushing slightly.

"Yes," she replied with a laugh. "Why, you-" Her sentence was cut off as Celeste gently rested a hand on her arm, and she coughed to cover her mistake. "We know you very well in the future, Yuli." A silence settled amongst the group, until the Scout leader cleared her throat.

"I can't believe this is all happening again," she sighed tiredly. Looking at her companions, uncertainty masked her face. "What should we do next?"

"You know better than any of us, what should be done, Princess," Setsuna spoke, gaining Moon's attention.

"My sentiments, exactly," Celeste echoed. Sailor Moon looked at the strange girl briefly, and then nodded her head in agreement.

"I guess we should all rest, then," she stated. "We can't do much until the Ronins recover."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day, Sailor Moon." The group collectively turned towards the voice of the newcomer, to see Ryo, Kento, Sailor Chibi Mars, and another Sailor Scout clad in green standing there. Chibi Mars was supporting Ryo, while her teammate supported Kento. "I know I sure could use some rest," Ryo continued in a still-weakened voice.

"Ryo," Mars exclaimed, her eyes widening slightly. "And Kitiana!" She rushed over to them, hugging them both tightly.

"You're heavier than you look, your Highness," the girl supporting Kento stated with a grunt. He laughed slightly, and smiled.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "But you're pretty strong, Sailor Chibi Jupiter. I'm impressed." A wide smile spread across her face, as she looked at her future king.

"Th-thank you," she blushed.

"Kento!" He looked up as Sailor Moon came towards him, and Chibi Jupiter stepped aside as the leader of the Scouts enveloped her boyfriend in a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," she continued, her voice flooding with relief.

Rini watched as Kento returned Sailor Moon's hug, and a sad smile crossed her face. Turning slightly, she looked towards Darien, who, in turn, was looking elsewhere. Following his gaze, her sight landed on Celeste. The girl stood slightly away from the group, talking quietly with Lady Kayura. Rini frowned slightly as she returned her gaze to Darien. He was looking at her, now, and she smiled in his direction. She soon realized that he wasn't actually looking at her, and that he was lost in thought. Her brow furrowed into a frown once again, and slowly she cast her eyes up at the sky. Transfixed by the half-crescent moon and its' companion, a pale, blue star, tears welled up in her eyes. Her friends were all around her, however she still felt terribly lonely.

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To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 7

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I do not own the rights to any of the characters in this fanfic, nor do I claim to. The idea, however, is mine.

AN - I've noticed I've been getting a lot of reviews for both _An Ancient Evil_ and _This Time Around_, and it's inspired me a little to continue with the series. Some things have been pointed out to me, and I will eventually get around to revising some mistakes I've made, as well as perhaps revising the entire series. But for now, I will continue with things as they are. So, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! 

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Dealing Fate's Hand  
Chapter 7

* * *

"Is something wrong, Rini?"

Rini looked over towards Mia, who had spoken to her. Offering a weak smile, she looked down at the ground, where White Blaze was slowly regaining consciousness. "I was just worried about White Blaze," she lied. Mia seemed satisfied with the answer, however, and returned her attention towards the group.

"I think it will be okay if we all let our guard down for now," Sailor Moon spoke to everyone, as her henshin reversed, and her sailor fuku was replaced by her normal clothing. The other Sailors followed her example, and she smiled as she looked at the four strange girls. She opened her mouth to speak however a groan from the still-unconscious Ronins gained everyone's attentions. It was Sage, who sat up first.

"What happened," the blonde teenager asked, running a hand through his disheveled hair. Rowen and Sai sat up as well, even though they, like the other Ronins, were still weakened from Parapara's attack.

"It was Parapara," Kento answered, anger creeping into his tone. "She's stolen our powers."

"Not completely, your Highness," Celeste stated. "They will return to you in time, just as Sailor Pluto's powers will return to her."

"Who are you," Sai asked, looking at the girl strangely.

"Yeah, would someone mind filling us in on what's going on," Rowen stated, as he and the others noticed the girls for the first time. "Who are you girls?"

"Don't you recognize your own children," Kitiana asked, a small smile gracing her features. She knelt next to Ryo and Rei, placing a hand on Ryo's shoulder. The guys' eyes widened, as they looked at the girls.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourselves, girls," Setsuna suggested. The three girls looked at each other, and shrugging, one of the girls stepped forward.

"I am Princess Lillian Mouri," she stated, curtseying slightly. She wore dark blue culottes and a plain, white blouse. Brushing aside a lock of her curly, brown hair, her sea-blue eyes gleamed with joy as she looked at Amy and Sai. "I'm so glad to be able to come back to the past and meet everyone!"

"Don't be so formal, Lily," the girl next to her laughed, sweeping her long, golden hair off her shoulder. She wore a white skirt, and a thin, orange sweater. Turning towards her parents, her blue eyes sparkled with the same mischief her mother was known for. "I'm Alyssa. Alyssa Hashiba." Smiling in Mina's direction, she looked at Rowen, and pouted slightly. "Are you feeling any better now, Daddy," she asked.

"Y-yes, thank you," Rowen replied, a small blush staining his cheeks. Laughing, Alyssa ran to her parents, throwing an arm around each of them.

Looking at the girl that strikingly took after her own image, Lita smiled broadly. "And are you-"

"Yes," the girl interrupted, returning Lita's smile. "I'm your daughter. My name's Torrence." She paused, and glanced at her future father. "Torrence Date." Her chocolate-brown hair was partially pulled up into a bun on the top of her head, while the rest flowed just past her shoulders. Her outfit was similar to Alyssa's, only she wore green shorts, and a white T-shirt.

"And what was your name again," Serena asked, directing her question at Celeste. The girl looked at her, bowing in respect.

"My name is Celeste, my Queen," she answered, standing back up with practiced grace.

"Celeste," Serena repeated. "Are you one of our daughters, as well?"

Celeste gasped with a start, and paled just slightly. Regaining her composure before anyone noticed, she smiled slightly. "I'm afraid, I can't answer that," she offered apologetically.

"It must be true, then," Serena pressed. She studied Celeste for a moment, and then clapped her hands together. "Could you be Lady Kayura's daughter?" Celeste glanced over at Kayura, whose cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Princess," Setsuna began in a warning tone. "Do not forget that the girls reveal only what they can, without jeopardizing the future. If she will not say, then-"

"Please, do not scold her," Celeste interjected. Smiling in Serena's direction, she paused in thought. "I can only say that I work closely with the Ancient Shrine guardians and Sailor Pluto. I serve as a messenger between the two." Serena sighed, however seemed to accept the answer, as an awkward silence fell over the group.

"Are your brothers here, too," Mina asked suddenly, her eyes widening in wonder. "Have they come back to help?"

The reaction from the girls was not what they expected. Kitiana clenched her jaw, while Torrence balled her fists tightly at her sides. Tears stung at Alyssa's eyes, and Lillian hung her head, staring hard at the ground. It was Celeste, who answered for the girls.

"We don't know where the young Ronins, and Prince Lotus, are," she stated quietly. "One of the other reasons we escaped to the past, was because the Princess had gone missing, and we suspected that she may have escaped here."

Serena pulled away from Kento slightly, as her eyes widened. "You mean, Lotus and the others are missing," she asked.

"We're going to find them, though," Lillian stated forcefully, her stormy sea-blue eyes flashing with determination.

"Rini," Kitiana asked suddenly. "What happened? How did you get separated from the others?"

"I-I can't remember," she replied, shaking her head. A sudden anger flashed in her eyes, as she looked at Kitiana accusingly. "Are you trying to say that I ran or something?"

"No, of course not," Kitiana snapped. She hung her head, staring down into her lap as she dug her fingers into her thighs. "I just thought, that with Lotus there with you, you and the others would have been safe," she whispered. As her vision blurred, a gasp caught in her throat as she felt the furry muzzle of Ryo's faithful pet nudge at her elbow. "White… Blaze," she whispered wonderingly.

"It looks like he trusts you now, Kitiana," Yuli exclaimed. Kitiana gave a wavering smile, before she leaned towards White Blaze, burying her face into his neck.

"We should discuss this more at length at a later time," Setsuna suggested. "Small Lady, perhaps after some rest, you will be able to remember some detail." Celeste watched as Rini turned her gaze upon Setsuna, sending her a narrowed look. Raising an eyebrow she was about to speak, however Serena interrupted her.

"You have to try to remember, Rini," she exclaimed. "They could be in trouble."

Rini began to shake visibly, before she turned a teary gaze on her future mother. "Why is everyone on my case," she demanded, wiping her eyes angrily. "If I can't remember, then I can't remember! None of this is my fault!"

"Rini," Kento began in a firm voice. "No one is blaming you for anything. Just take in a deep breath and relax." His words seemed to calm her down, however as she caught the confused looks from Lillian, Alyssa, and Torrence, her anger flared once again.

"None of this should have ever happened," she exclaimed, motioning around her with her arm. "Things should have never changed!"

"Rini," Darien began. "What-"

"Just leave me alone," she cut him off, before turning on her heel and running towards the house.

"Hey, Rini," Yuli exclaimed, as he ran to follow her. "Rini!"

"What's wrong with Rini," Alyssa asked. "Did you see that look she gave us?" Shaking her head with determination, she stood from the spot she shared with her future parents to follow after the princess. "I'm going to-"

"Alyssa," Rowen interrupted, grabbing her gently by the arm. "Let her be. If anyone can get through to her right now, it's Yuli."

Looking down at him, she smiled gently. "Okay, Daddy," she said. "If that's what you want me to do..."

"Lady Kayura," Celeste began, "I think it would be best if the other Shrine Guardians are here with everyone else."

"Thank you for your concern, but I think that Dais, Sekhmet, and Kale will be able to handle themselves," she replied.

"Perhaps you don't understand," Celeste continued. "Mistress Aislyn can control the armors at will. If she gets the armors of the former Warlords as well, I fear an evil from the past will resurrect."

"It's already too late for us - she has our armor," Sage stated. "But, the armor belongs _to_ us. How is it that she was able to take the power of the armors, without our willingly giving up that power?"

"It has to do with what happened in the future," Torrence replied. "In the future, our fathers fought against Aislyn's minions."

"But that doesn't explain how she could just take the armor from us," Sai insisted.

"It's because the power of the armor is connected, even through time," Setsuna answered suddenly. "That's the most obvious explanation of _how_ she was able to acquire the armors in this time. She must have defeated the Ronins of the future."

"That's almost correct," Celeste said thoughtfully. "When she took the powers of the armors from the Ronins of this time, she was really drawing upon the powers of the future armors. So, if you use the power of your armors again, she will completely take control of them… and you will forever lose the ability to call upon their powers."

"What," Kento demanded, as the other Ronins echoed their shock and anger.

"This is why you must not take upon yourselves, this fight," Celeste stated, a regretful tone to her voice. "And Anubis, Sekhmet, Dais, and Kale must not wield their armors, either. If Aislyn gains the powers of their armors in a similar manner, then her purpose will have been fulfilled."

"Then, we will fight against her," Serena exclaimed. "We'll fight her, and she'll never get her hands on the other armors!"

"Yeah, Serena has a point," Lita exclaimed. "We'll take on this fight!"

The sound of a man laughing was heard, and suddenly, the figure of a man appeared before the warriors. He wore all white, and a dark, blue cape draped over his shoulder. "My future Queen, you are as optimistic as ever," he spoke, as his blue oculars scanned over the group. He shook out his short, blonde hair as Serena and the other girls gasped in recognition, and a small smile graced his handsome features. "I see I have not been forgotten," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow as nearly every warrior gathered took a stance in front of Serena. "And I see that your guard has extended as well. Much has changed."

"Jadeite," Rei hissed out venomously. "How-"

"Jadeite," Celeste asked, interrupting Rei in the process. "You're putting yourself at risk. Why are you here?"

Yet another small, wry smile crossed his face, as he looked at the girl questioningly. "I could ask the same of you, Celeste," he replied.

"Will someone tell me what's going on," Serena asked suddenly. "Jadeite, how… how are you alive?"

* * *

With Sailor Ceres supporting Sailor Juno, and Sailor Pallas supporting Sailor Vesta, the Asteroid Scouts made their way towards Mistress Aislyn's chambers. The doors swung open as they approached them, and they could see her standing within the dimly lit room.

"She's going to be angry with us," Juno stated, a grim tone to her voice.

"No," Ceres replied. "We got the power of the Ronin Warriors. There are four more to get, so our work isn't done yet."

"But what about those brats from the future," Vesta asked. "How did they get to the past?"

"They are of no consequence, girls," Aislyn's voice floated in their direction. "Come and take a look." As they approached Aislyn, they could see she stood in front of a phantom image of a man. The girls looked down at themselves as they felt the magic of their henshin reverse. Looking back up, Aislyn was looking at them.

"Mistress," Cerecere began. "Is this the Dark Lord?"

"Yes," Aislyn responded with a smile. "This is Master Talpa." The man before them was a ghost of a figure. He had shoulder-length, white hair, however he also possessed human features. His skin was pale, and presently, his eyes were closed. "However," she continued, turning back to face the sister, "he is not strong enough to regain his physical form completely. He needs the power of the other Armors. Your job is not finished."

"How will we get the armor from the former Warlords," Junjun asked, a frown crossing her face. "It won't be easy."

"They will give them willingly," Aislyn began. "They will feel it's the only thing to do, once I set into motion their Fate."

"What do you mean," Cerecere asked. The four sisters watched as Aislyn turned, walking towards where five figures floated, suspended in the air.

"It's time to take back the Ronin armor completely, girls," she started. "I want you to take these children, and confront the Queen and her warriors once again."

"My lady," Junjun exclaimed. "The other warriors-"

"I know that, Junjun," Aislyn yelled, causing the girl to cringe slightly. "They will be distracted, and Small Lady will be left alone. When you take these children there, she will want to help them. The Sailor Scouts, are too weak to defeat you. I know what the Queen will attempt to do." Aislyn paused, smiling gently at the girls. "Fate is working how I want it to. Look." She waved her arm, and an image of Serena and the others appeared. Everyone seemed to be arguing; Serena, Rei, Amy, Mina, and Lita were arguing with Jadeite, the girls and Celeste seemed to be trying to calm everyone down, and Mia, Darien, Setsuna, and Kayura were talking amongst themselves quietly.

"Why are they fighting," Vesves asked, as an amused smile playing on her face.

"The wheels of Fate move in my favor," Aislyn answered. Once again, she moved her arm over the image. The image changed, to show Rini locked in the bathroom. She sat with her back against the door, crying. "Soon," she continued, "they will separate, and it will be time to take Small Lady, and retrieve the armor."

"Pallapalla and her sisters will make their mother proud," Pallapalla asked.

"Yes," Aislyn answered. "I will be very proud."

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To Be Continued…

* * *

I looked this over, and decided I might as well post the chapter! It was pretty much done already; I just added a little, and edited it a bit - not _much_, mind you, lol. I'm really not sure when the next part will be out, but I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!


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